Sakura DOROPPUSU
by mistressinwaiting
Summary: Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU
1. 1st Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

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><p><strong>Yay! I'm so happy, not just because this is my 36th fanfic but because it's also the 3rd sequel to my hit fanfic <em>Akatsuki no Kuruma<em> and sequel to _Toki no Sabaku_! Hooray! And just only forty days since I finished _Toki no Sabaku_! Thank you for those who waited for this so patiently! And thank you for continuing to stay with me while I continue this series! I believe those two stories were my best so far, but I promise I will continue to work hard and live up to your expectations! This will be the last of my trilogy, but I will make it worth your while! It should be at most eight chapters plus an epilogue. So yeah, I hope you enjoy the story!**

**Oh, and for those who have NOT read _Akatsuki no Kuruma_, here's a short summary of important things. Ahem… After her encounter with Sasuke, Sakura was "_kidnapped_" by the Akatsuki because her father, Pein, was worried about her. Konan is revealed to be her mother. Their relationship wasn't so good, and so Itachi was the one who helped repair that bond. Konan is then revealed to be pregnant. In all this, Madara/Tobi makes himself Sakura's god-dad, and the members of Akatsuki become Sakura's teachers. Few months later, the members of Akatsuki die the same way as they did in the original manga, and Isaribi from the anime filler episodes is recruited as Konan's midwife, bringing along the five-year-old OC Botan. The baby, Shion, is born a couple of weeks later. A few days later, Pein invades Konoha. Pein dies by Naruto's hand (same way in the manga), and Madara gets Sasuke to kill Konan. In turn, Sakura has an important decision to make: to stay or not to stay as Akatsuki's princess.**

**And for those who have NOT read _Toki no Sabaku_, it starts out with Sakura trying to escape from Akatsuki with Isaribi, Botan, and Shion. However, Team Hebi quickly intercepts them, Sakura ends up fighting with Sasuke. But she loses once Kabuto shoots an arrow and hits her in the back. They are transported back to the hideout where Madara quickly rids Sakura of her baby sister and Botan while Isaribi dies from her wounds. Karin, now on good terms with the rosette, decides to help her and gets Sasuke to talk to the now distraught Sakura. And in just a little bit, Sakura quickly regains power in Amegakure and within Akatsuki. Meanwhile, Konoha 11 decides to travel to the Kage Summit to once and for all end their problems with the two missing nin. Now, it's a battle between Sakura and Madara, her promise to Sasuke also lingering in the air. And for Konoha 11, it's a race to save their friends.**

**Thank you and, for those waiting, here's the first chapter of _Sakura DOROPPUSU_! It's a bit short, but I'm going to add an epilogue to the story, so I thought a short prologue-thingy might work well here. So . . . yeah, enjoy!**

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><p><em>I fall in love, and the love is over<em>

_I promise myself,_

_This will be the last HEARTBREAK_

_Cherry trees sway in the wind,_

_and soon they will blossom…_

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><p>~The First Hanami~<p>

The cup smashed into hundred of tiny glass shards as it hit the wall, but Madara's temper hadn't cooled. No, the cup was not his enemy nor the focus of his rage right now. No, it was that pink-haired _goddaughter_ of his. "That little wench… How _dare_ she think of going up against _me_!" he snarled. "Has she already _forgotten_ what I could do to her?"

To say that the Uchiha was angry was an understatement at the moment. He was _beyond_ the point of angry and _way_ beyond the point of furious. In fact, a new word could have been invented right there and then because no word could describe how infuriated he was. If anyone were to cross his path now, how unfortunate for them… In fact, no one in their right minds dared to go near Madara now.

He slammed his fist down onto the table in front of him. "Fine…" he said. "If that's how she wants to play then I won't go easy. She'll regret ever going against me. _Kisame_!" _That girl will pay. This time, I'll make sure she knows what she's dealing with!_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Ino stared at the sleeping blonde, her eyes brimming with tears. She wanted so much to cry, but she knew she couldn't. She had to stay strong. She had to… She was to go on a long journey now, and she had to be careful. They were going to set out right after Danzo, and they had to sneak their way out of the village. It wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. She'd be damned if they failed again. This was their last chance. They couldn't fail, they just couldn't!

"Ino, is that you?"

"Yes, Shizune-san, it's me," she answered. She was a bit slow, having been snapped out of her thoughts, but the ebony-haired woman didn't seem to notice it. "I got your message. Is there something you needed to talk to me about?"

"Actually, yes." Shizune didn't turn back to look at Ino, her gaze still on the sleeping Hokage. "I heard that you and the rest of Konoha 11 have decided to go to Kage summit."

Ino could find no words to say.

"I take it I'm correct then?"

". . . Yes."

"What will you do?"

"_Pardon_?"

"What will you do?" Shizune repeated again. It was then that Ino noticed the austerity of the woman's voice. She had been crying. "About Sasuke and Sakura? How do you plan on bringing them back this time? Do you even have a plan? Even if you have Kakashi, Yamato, and Gai's help, you need to have a plan at the very least. If you rely on others then everything will be for naught. What will you do? _Beg_ for the Kages' understanding? Then go and search for the two of them? Do you even have a _lead_ as to where they are?"

Again, Ino found no words to say. What was she to say? They didn't have a plan. They didn't have the slightest clue as to what they'd do. Yes, if worse came to worst, they'd _beg_ the Kages. They'd get on their knees and beg. But the matter with Sasuke and Sakura . . . yes, they had no lead. They didn't even know _where_ to start. They could only hope they would get lucky.

"_Well_?" Shizune asked, finally turning her head around. Yes, she had been crying. Her puffy eyes confirmed that. "Will you answer me? What is it you all are going to do?"

". . . Do you not believe in us, Shizune-san?"

"_What_?"

"Do you believe this last attempt of ours will go up in flames and be all for _nothing_?" Ino asked. "We're ready to risk _everything_ in this effort, even our own _lives_. There isn't a thing that is more important to us than _this_."

"But why would you go that far? Why would you—"

"Because they're our friends. Sasuke's been gone for too long. We need him back from the darkness. And Sakura . . . she . . . we just want to save her from whatever she has to deal with. We want to save them both."

"Just because they're your _friends_?"

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing."

Shizune gave a small laugh. "Yes, I suppose so, but can you blame me? I'm just worried… Nothing's been going our way… Isn't it okay for me to worry? Even just a _little_?" She sighed. "But let's get to the _real_ reason why I've called you down here, Ino. I didn't ask you here to lecture you. I asked you here because I want to give you a mission."

The blonde's eyes widened. "A . . . a _mission_? But…"

"It's not just for myself, Ino." She glanced back at the comatose woman. "I believe Tsunade-sama would also want this."

Ino stayed quiet, waiting.

"Yamanaka Ino, this is your mission. It's for the rest of Konoha 11, too. No matter what happens, follow what you all _believe_ is right. No matter what the obstacle is, don't abandon your friends. Do not forget your resolve and do not forget who you are. And be sure not to be too hard on yourselves if you cannot bring back Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. You have to keep your hopes up. Understood?"

Ino smiled. "It's a heck of a tall order."

"Yes," Shizune returned her smile. "But I believe it won't be so hard. You have my blessings and good wishes. Good luck."

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Taking a sip of tea, Sakura glanced at the girl sitting across from her. Karin had her head down, her eyes shifting back and forth from the rosette to her clenched fists that laid on her lap. Sakura's lips twisted into a small smirk. The redhead must have thought she wouldn't notice her wandering gaze if her bangs had fallen over her eyes. The sensor nin was silly. Of course, she would notice. She was a kunoichi, after all. She'd be damned if she couldn't even detect a small eye movement that had been going on for the last ten minutes. It had been entertaining for the first few minutes, but nevertheless it grew tiring and tedious now.

"If you have something to say to me then say it," Sakura mused, setting the teacup onto the table. "If you don't then I'm going to think it's something bad."

Karin's head slowly lifted, her eyes taking their time before meeting Sakura's. Her red eyes almost widened—_almost_ because, if they had, she would have insulted the girl who sat in front of her. Sakura's eyes weren't their innocent shade of spring green anymore. Instead, they were a sort of darkened emerald. She coupled that with the rosette's new childish demeanor and inwardly gasped. Perhaps, Sakura had lost her sanity already.

"_Well_?" the ex-Konoha kunoichi asked, her tone almost playful but with a rather cynical drawl to it. "I'm waiting."

"I . . ." Karin could barely find the words. "You've changed…" she settled on that. "Your chakra's fluctuating a bit differently, almost portentously. Your physical appearance has altered a bit too."

"Oh, I see you noticed my new haircut," Sakura teased. Her hand touched the tips of her pink locks. "I might need you to fix it up, though. Sasuke didn't do such a good job, and—"

"You know that's _not_ what I meant," Karin snapped. "This . . ."—she struggled to find the correct word—"_transformation_ of yours… It's scaring me. There's this new aura around you, an aria that's almost as frightening as Madara's, and—"

"DON'T YOU _DARE_ COMPARE ME"—her grip on the cup was so tight that it shattered into small glass shards, tea spilling onto the table—"TO THAT _DEMON_!"

Now, Karin wore an expression of fear. And seeing this, Sakura immediately regretted her outburst.

"Gomennasai," she apologized. "I didn't mean to yell. Today was a long day for me—yesterday, too—and I'm just tired." She eyed the mess she had created. "I'll get something to clean it up…"

"N-No, it's alright…" Karin stuttered from her shock but regained her composure, picking up the glass pieces. "I'll do it." Suddenly, she paused, a bloodied shard in her hand. Her gaze traveled back to the rosette. "You're bleeding," she observed.

"Oh? Am I?" Sakura herself hadn't noticed. The stinging sensation was nothing compared to what she had felt when she lost Shion. Perhaps that was why she didn't "feel" it.

Karin put the shards she had collected back on the table and walked over. "Let me see."

"It's fine, Karin, really."

The redhead fought an urge to roll her eyes. "Just let me see, Sakura. It'll only take a minute." But when she grabbed both of Sakura's hands, a green mist had already surrounded her injured one.

"I told you it wasn't necessary," the girl said. "I'm a medic, too, remember?"

"Right…" Karin's head nodded slowly, her hands releasing Sakura.

But the pink-haired girl could only stare at Karin, finding her actions strange. "You…" she started. "You . . . care for me. _Why_? I've never been nice to you."

"You've never been mean to me either."

"_Yes_, but that doesn't give you any reason to help me. Why do you do it? I've never asked of it from you…"

Karin smiled, almost laughing. "Not everything in this world happens because you want it to, and some things do happen even if you never ask for it. And I _chose_ to help you. Keep in mind, I chose to. I'm not doing this because I want something in return but because I want to help you. It's as simple as that."

But Sakura's scrutinizing gaze never left her. "So . . . my mother's death has _nothing_ to do with it?"

"Actually, no. It has nothing to do with your mother's death anymore," Karin explained. "At first, it did, but I slowly realized I needn't do so because there was nothing to feel guilty about."

"_Nothing_ to feel guilty about?" Sakura almost laughed. Her laughter choked somewhere in her throat, coming out sounding like scoffs. Just remembering Konan's untimely end brought her to tears. "Don't make me laugh! You and the rest of Team Hebi are the ones who _killed_ my mother! _You're_ responsible for her death! How can you say that when you know perfectly well—"

"The reason you hate Sasuke is because you _think_ he was the one who killed your mother, correct?"

"Who . . . who I _think_? You…! Madara said—"

"Exactly, it was _Madara_ who told you the news. _He_ told you Sasuke killed her but, in reality, Sasuke's chidori didn't even _hit_ her, let alone scratch her! Madara was the one who killed Konan!"

Sakura was left stunned. She didn't know what to feel. She really didn't. All this time, she had thought it was _Sasuke_—her ex-teammate, her childhood crush, the love of her life—who had ended her mother's existence. She really had thought…

"_Then_…" She swallowed down a cry, blinking back tears. "What . . . what about my father? Did Naruto _really_…?"

"I don't anything about that," Karin answered deplorably. "Given his actions, it seems as though Madara would lie about that too but, on our way to the Akatsuki hideout, we heard rumors that it was indeed Uzumaki Naruto who had saved Konoha from destruction. If he was Konoha's hero then he most likely would have been your father's killer."

Sakura's eyes shifted, her thoughts racing now. She really didn't know what to think… She really didn't… Oh, god, she felt so dizzy… She felt as though she'd throw up…

"I need to . . ." She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "I need to go out." And with that, she rushed out of the room, ignoring Karin's calls. She needed somewhere quiet to think. She needed to get out fast. She needed to _think_. She _needed_ to think.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"You understand what you need to do?"

Kisame swallowed hard but nodded his head once. Just _once_.

"I won't tolerate failure this time around."

Again, another nod. "Hai."

Behind his mask, Madara smiled. "Good, then I expect her _dead_ by the end of the day."

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><p><strong>Gomennasai = I'm sorry<strong>  
><strong>Hai = Yes<strong>

**Yay! The chapter's done! Sorry, it's short, but I think it's a good start so far. But the next chapter will be better if you don't like it. So . . . yeah, tune in for the next chapter, kay?**


	2. 2nd Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

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><p><strong>Okay! New chapter! Sorry it took so long, but I was getting everything else updated! I was trying to lengthen this chapter, but I think I made it a bit bad… I hope you enjoy it still.<strong>

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><p><em>The rain of summer has fallen,<em>

_Passing through my tears in silence…_

_Images weaving in my mind,_

_It's a rerun of the autumn drama_

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><p>~The Second Hanami~<p>

She didn't know why she had come here. Here to this meadow… It only brought back unwanted memories. When she had first come to the Akatsuki, she had wanted out. That was, until Itachi told her otherwise. She came under the tutelage of S-ranked criminals shortly afterwards. Of course, that itself showed how much training she underwent to get to the level she was at today. The training was intensive and rigorous. There were times when she wanted to give up, times when she wondered why she went through with it all… She escaped to this place during those times—to scream, to cry, and to yell at the Heavens but, most importantly, to clear her head and to remember her reason for living… She hoped she could do so now… Especially now when times were tough on her, not just physically but mentally…

She wondered how she could believe a criminal over her own teammate—well, actually, _ex_-teammate. Sure, Sasuke had spoken nothing of it, but Sakura should have known not to trust Madara of all people. When did she get so _stupid_ anyway? Why did she get _so gullible_? She could remember her mother's words now.

_"Some things are _not_ as they seem. Some people may try to be your friends, but they may harbor ill feelings towards you or people you're close to. But whatever ill feelings they have, they _will_ try to hurt you… You must learn how to differentiate such scum from your _true_ friends—not just for your sake, but for Shion's too…"_

Why did it take her so long to recall that piece of advice? Why did she forget it so quickly? Yes, she had been terribly tired after being forcibly woken up from her sleep, but that gave her no excuse to dismiss such guidance. If she had remembered earlier, perhaps Shion would still be with her… She shook her head. No, she couldn't dwell on such thoughts anymore. Shion was _gone_. Gone. That one word made her heart heavy, horribly heavy, but there was nothing she could do about it anymore. Her sister was _dead_, and it was because of _her_ mistake. She knew it all too well.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Hanabi just stared at the baby she held in her arms, the infant staring back at her with curious eyes. It didn't take long before that infant's eyes began to roam around the surrounding area. The curiosity slowly disappeared to that of something close to sadness—Hanabi could see tears brimming on the girl's eyes. The Hyuga panicked then. She didn't know what to do. She had never dealt with such a youngster before, and she didn't want the baby to start crying.

"Um . . . _shh_… Don't cry, Shion-chan…" she cooed, her voice shaking with anxiety. Taking a chance, she started to rock the baby back and forth, hoping it would calm the infant. "Um . . . I'm a friend… You don't have to be scared. I won't hurt you."

If the Shion had been older, Hanabi might have believed her eyes but, seeing that she was only an infant, Hanabi could not bring herself to admit that in Shion's eyes was a sort of skepticism. The almost navy-haired toddler seemed as though she were guarding herself from some kind of disappointment.

"You're holding her wrong…"

"What?" Hanabi glanced up from Shion and to the boy sitting across from her, the blazing fire in between them. On the little boy who was much younger than her was the face of distrust, but his suspicions seemed much more cynical than that of the baby's. No, instead his knowledge of such wariness was beyond his age.

"Your hands and arms are awkward," the boy, Botan, explained. "You don't hold a baby by the sides of their stomach. Shion _especially_ doesn't like that. You're supposed to put your right arm under her head and your left arm over her bottom parts, your left hand holding her on her back so that, when she kicks, you don't drop her."

"Oh, forgive me… I've never handled a baby before," Hanabi said. She quickly fidgeted herself into the correct position as Botan had just described. It was almost magical how Shion lit up, her depressing mood suddenly very happy. Shion's hand shot out from the blanket she was wrapped in and reached for a strand of Hanabi's hair. But after a sort of inspection, Shion quickly let go and seemed sullen once more.

"What's wrong with her? Did I do something wrong?"

Having watched the interaction, Botan's expression seemed to match Shion's. "The small mistress used to play with her sister's hair…" he told her, his eyes watching Shion. "She can tell the difference… Your hair isn't pink."

"_Oh_…" Hanabi understood without further explanation, her attention back on the infant she held. How could a baby of only a couple of months understand such events? How can she realize that she was not with her sister anymore? That she was with others now?

It was in that instant that the Hyuga heard some rustling coming from behind them. She took out a kunai, the other arm holding Shion tightly while her Byakugan activated.

"Relax, Hanabi," a man of matching long brown hair appeared in the clearing. In his hands was a net of fish. "It is only me."

"Father," Hanabi greeted, kunai being put away and her bloodline trait disengaging. She stood, passing Shion to Botan. Of course, the young Hyuga made sure to avoid the fire as Shion was being a bit fussy at the moment, and she wished not to drop the infant. (It would have been disasterous if she had dropped Shion into the fire.) Afterwards, she helped her father with lunch, preparing the fish to cook.

"Botan," Hiashi addressed the boy. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but I need you to tell us about how you came to be on that boat and how you are connected to Haruno Sakura."

"_Fujin_?" Botan asked, recognizing the girl's name.

"So you served her?" Hiashi questioned, hiding his confusion. Wasn't Haruno Sakura kidnapped by the Akatsuki? Why would the Akatsuki give her a servant of sorts if she were their captive and hostage? Perhaps there was more to this than what everyone thought. The letter that had been hidden inside of Botan's clothing had told not much of the situation within the Akatsuki hideout, and so here they were in interrogation.

Botan shook his head. "I . . . it wasn't like that. I wasn't a slave. Isaribi-neechan acted as her mother's midwife."

"So this . . . Isaribi was your sister?"

"No," Botan answered, his face straight. "She took me in when no one else would. She brought me with her to them. Sakura-fujin was very nice to me."

"Is that so? But our intelligence tells us that Sakura was kidnapped by the Akatsuki, the people you stayed with. Wasn't she supposed to be a hostage for someone she was close to?"

The little boy shrugged. "I don't know," he answered. "The men were awfully nice to her. Her mother was Konan-fujin, and her father was Pein-sama. I think they both were really powerful. Everyone listened to them. The rest of the Akatsuki were teaching Sakura-fujin things. She did not look like she was suffering. No, she was okay with being there."

Hiashi allowed his eyes to widen then, Hanabi almost froze in what she was doing. They never knew… Sakura's connection to the Akatsuki . . . it was mind-boggling. Was she a traitor to Konoha then?

"Sakura-fujin is Shion-san's sister," Botan said as the infant began to squeal. It would seem as though the sound of her sister's name could brighten her outlook of things. "When Pein-sama and Konan-fujin left to attack Konoha, I believe they apologized to Sakura-fujin. She was, I think, very upset about what they had to do. And they did not want to do it either."

"But why did they then?" Hanabi asked. She and her father had heard of the invasion Akatsuki had made against their home village. It was the reason why they had been rushing back until they heard that Uzumaki Naruto had saved the village. "Why did they attack Konoha if they wished not to?"

"They were under orders. They were scared that Sakura-fujin and Shion-san's lives were in danger."

"Who were they being threatened by?" Hiashi asked, now very curious as to what was happening within the criminal organization.

Botan's grip on the baby he held tightened, almost as if he were scared Shion would be taken away from him. "Uchiha Madara…"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"So . . . Sasuke, boss-man, give me some _details_!" Suigetsu almost begged. He really would have gotten on his knees, but he didn't feel like it. Sasuke probably wouldn't give in even then. "Exactly what did you _say_ to Pinkie to make her grow back her backbone? I mean, did you see what she did and said? Even Kabuto stayed quiet after hearing her whole speech!"

Sasuke could feel his eyebrow twitching. He swore, Suigetsu was nosier than _Naruto_ ever was! Why did he choose this man to be on his team again?

"Suigetsu, please stop bothering Sasuke about it," Juugo pleaded for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Oh, come _on_, Juugo!" Suigetsu sounded as though he was whining now. "You _can't_ tell me you aren't curious, too! I mean, you saw Pinkie in there, right? She had been trying to kill herself just the day before, and then Sasuke spoke to her, and _ba-da-boom! Ba-da-bing!_ It was as though she was reborn! She was so cool, and her persona could even beat _Orochimaru's_ poise! And I mean it! She was H-O-T! _HOT_!"

Juugo sighed, wanting to face-palm. "Suigetsu, please keep your personal comments to yourself if you want to live. And Sasuke, please stop glaring at him as though you want to kill him. You _know_ he's an idiot who can't shut his mouth."

That caught the Uchiha off-guard. He hadn't known he had been glaring a hole into Suigetsu. It was just… When Suigetsu said that Sakura was hot, he just…

"_Sheesh_, boss-man! Relax! You have nothing to worry about!" Suigetsu beamed a sort of Cheshire Cat grin. "I won't steal your girlfriend from you! I mean, sure, she's hot, and I'd like to get in her pants and all"—Sasuke's glare intensified on whim now—"but if she can do you a world of good then it's all good! I'd take and like a less grumpy-Sasuke boss _any day_!"

If Karin had not barged into the room then with a frantic expression plastered on her face, the room would have been filled with chirping, and Sasuke would have chidori-ed the swordsman's ass.

"Did Sakura come in and talk to you?" she asked of him.

"Nope," Suigetsu answered for him, oblivious to how close to death he had been. "Why? Did something happen?"

But Karin didn't seem to hear his inquiries as her hand came to her mouth and she almost started biting her fingernails. "_Shimatta_!" she cursed under her breath, her worried gaze increasing tenfold. "Where could she have gone…? She's hidden her chakra so well… She doesn't want anyone to find her… What should I…?"

Sasuke's eyes snapped to the redhead then, a sort of fury shot through him. "She's _missing_?" he asked—no, _demanded_ to know. "_Again_?"

Karin almost flinched and winced at the Uchiha's tone of voice. She had never seen him so angry before. He had been horrid whenever Itachi was near during his quest for revenge and then afterwards when he found out that the Konoha Elders were responsible for his family's deaths, but this . . . this was a whole new level of rage.

"What happened?" Juugo asked.

"I . . . we . . ." Karin couldn't think straight or get any words out with Sasuke's frightening aura around. She swallowed and took a deep breath. "We . . . well, it wasn't a fight, and it wasn't any argument, but . . . her changing demeanor and sanity were starting to worry me. She realized that something was on my mind, and… I really do believe this atmosphere isn't doing her any good… She snapped, and . . ."—her voice began quieting and quieting even more with each word she spoke—"I might have let it slipped that . . . we didn't kill her mother."

"You _what_?" Suigetsu asked, his eyes shifting between Sasuke and Karin now.

"I . . . I didn't want her blaming _us_ anymore!" Karin almost yelled. "Madara only told her that because he wanted to manipulate her! I couldn't stand it anymore! She really was broken when she thought that _both_ of her genin teammates were responsible for her parents' deaths. She was getting accustomed to pain… It just made me helpless to see her like that… I just . . . I just wanted to relieve some of her pain. She was genuinely happy when she heard that she had it wrong, that Sasuke wasn't her mother's murderer."

"But did you think it _through_?" Sasuke asked through gritted teeth. "So what if she knows the truth? What can she do now? She'll go after her mother's killer, but what will it do? It won't bring her any happiness."

"You're a hypocrite! You know that?" The redhead was shrieking now, pointing a finger at the Uchiha. "You should follow your own advice! Your situations aren't that much different from each other's! You both thought that someone had killed your beloved ones but found out that it was indeed someone _else_ pulling the strings! Shouldn't _you_ be helping _her_ then while also taking your own advice? Revenge isn't going to help anyone, and no one knows that better than _you_!"

Suigetsu wondered when Karin had gotten so smart. It was only weeks ago that she would follow Sasuke like a lost puppy, but now . . . now it was completely turned around. Karin was actually _yelling_ at her idol, and this was something actually fun to watch.

"You—" Her rant stopped abruptly with a small inward gasp as she glanced in the direction of the door, the direction of northeast. "Where is he going?" she asked of no one. "There's no one in that direction…" Her eyes widened then. "There's a meadow, Sakura's favorite… Oh, no! Madara's not planning on using Kisame to . . . oh, _god_!" And then she ran out of the door, all and forgetting what she was saying to the Uchiha.

"_Che_, what was that about?" Suigetsu asked, watching the door close.

Neither Sasuke nor Juugo answered, each going back to their seats. The former, however, when everything settled down, decided he would follow the redhead. From what he deduced, it sounded as though Sakura was in trouble. Either that, or she was going to be.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

She didn't know how long she stayed in that clearing, just staring up at the sky. Despite the hours she spent there, she only prayed a couple of times. Throughout everything that had happened, she found it hard to even consider the possibility of any gods watching over her or any heaven that waited in the afterlife. No… She knew there was no such thing, but she just wanted something and someone to believe in. She just wanted to put her trust into something. She so desperately wanted someone by her side… Anyone, _anybody_…

"So this is where you were…"

"Kisame…" She wasn't surprised. She had sensed someone with an immense amount of chakra approaching. What business he held with her, however, remained to be seen. "What are you doing here?"

"Now . . . is that any way to treat one of your mentors?" Kisame grinned a toothy smile, his hand on his blade. Sakura still had her back to him. If he took her out now, he needn't see the hurt look of betrayal on her face. He had planned to do it when she hadn't realized it was him that stood there, but that was out of the picture now.

"No, I suppose not…"

"What are you doing out here anyway?" But as he tried to pull his Samehada of his back, he found that his plan was easier said than done. He could not bring himself to hurt this girl. No… He _had_ to do this… End her suffering… It would be a blessing to her. He had to _kill_ her. He just _had_ to kill her. It was orders. _Orders_. It was better him than Madara. At the very least, he could give her a quick and painless death. _Quick and painless_, he kept telling himself. Better than Madara. And she would be with her family, her most dearest wish. He had to do it… It was for her own good.

"Just reminiscing…" the rosette answered. Had she not noticed his inner turmoil? His dark motive in appearing here? "Do you remember?" she asked of him, finally turning around to meet his gaze. "When you first brought me here?"

"Ah, yes," the blue-skinned man nodded, his smile a bit hard to maintain now. "Shark-skin and Shark-boy was what you called me. Red-eye was Itachi, Zombie-man was Hidan, and I believe Deidara was Ino #2. Your nicknames for us got better in time, though, as we started growing on you."

"Yes… Yes, I suppose so…" Sakura said, almost in a vague daze. "I wasn't very nice to you guys then, was I?"

"Well, it was to be expected. I mean, you and your parents had not reconciled yet at that time, so it didn't really bother any of us."

"Nevertheless, I never did apologize, did I?"

Kisame decided not to say anything. He had to finish the job. He couldn't delay it any longer or else she'd know… He was _betraying_ her, a horrible taboo… She had _always_ hated traitors… He couldn't let her know… She had to stay oblivious until she died… She couldn't know… It was for her own good… Her own good… Itachi and the others would probably never forgive him for this, but he _had_ to do this. He had to… It was for her own good… For her… For _her_…

But unbeknownst to the swordsman, Sakura had been watching his movements. She had realized something was up and, when she saw him hesitating and his hand shaking on the handle of his sword, she realized just why he was there. Madara had sent him, the last of her mentors, to assassinate her. Not just kill but _assassinate_ because she was growing into a threat and, _that,_ the Uchiha could not have.

She turned away from him then, keeping her act. "How long has it been?" she asked. She knew Kisame could not bring himself to slay her—his sizeable hesitation was proof of that. She just needed to play with that indecision to get herself what she wanted. "Since I began training as your student? It's been months, hasn't it? You remember it, don't you? Our first session together?"

_"Okay, so . . . now that you've gone through all the members and what nonsense they're going to teach you, at the end of the day, I'm the one stuck with a tired you. However, I won't take that, got that? I expect you to still be on your toes and wide awake." Kisame said, pacing around the kunoichi. "In my class, you're going to be going through a rigorous training session. I admit that I wanted to put you through my old village's tradition, but Leader-sama has forbidden it. However, it doesn't mean I won't go hard on you. It only means we've got to find a different way to train. And by the end of our sessions, you will have not only heightened senses but also the abilities to be able to absorb your opponent's and—"_

_"_Eh_ . . ." Sakura raised her hand._

_"_Yes_? You have a question?"_

_"Exactly . . . how _are_ you going to train me to be able to absorb chakra?" Sakura asked._

_"It's a surprise."_

_"Oh…" _Well, _that_ doesn't really sound good…

_"Oh, and by the way, you didn't let me finish my sentence. Not only will you be learning how to absorb chakra, but I'll also teach you how to fight using the sword."_

_"_What_?" Sakura asked, her eyes widening. "Sw-_sword-fighting_? Are you kidding me?"_

_"Why would I kid around?" He pointed his Samehada at Sakura. "Look here, _Pinkie_! I won't have you be shown up by that Orochimaru's apprentice even if he _is_ an Uchiha and Itachi's brother! I'm going to train you, and you're going to make me proud, you got that?"_

_"Ye-yes, sir!"_

"You had said that you'd give me a hard training program, and I was worried for a while," Sakura said, her eyes on Kisame again. To the man, she seemed like a child, so innocent and naïve still… "But throughout our sessions, you always showed me a short of kindness. _Always_… You always gave me support, just like Weasel-kun. You two were always hard on me, but it was because of you two that I could survive my days with the Akatsuki. I haven't thanked you for that yet… And now I can never thank Weasel-kun for all the kindness he gave me."

Kisame felt his heart lurch at the nickname of his former partner. If anything, he had not wanted to bring up his late partner. There was a reason why he hadn't been assigned a new one yet, and it wasn't just because there weren't enough Akatsuki members but because he had grown too attached to Itachi to even _consider_ any other partner. And he knew very well that Itachi would not have wanted him to kill the girl standing before him. The girl whom he had entrusted to take care of his brother… He could not kill her, he just couldn't… _Not_ her, not _her_… Not her who had suffered so much already, not her who had been the prodigy of the rest of his companions—the prodigy of the original Akatsuki members (except Sasori)… He could not kill her, he couldn't… He could not bring himself to carry out this deed, he just couldn't.

"Sakura! _Sakura_!"

He thanked the gods that Karin was running towards them now. Madara had told him to kill Sakura when no one was around. But now that someone was here, he had an excuse.

"Karin, _what_—" But the pinkette couldn't finish her sentence, being thrown into a tight hug from the redhead.

"Oh, thank god!" Karin exclaimed, releasing Sakura from her hold and glancing up and down her uninjured body. "You're not hurt! For a moment,"—her eyes shifted to Kisame—"I thought…"

Sakura's spring green orbs followed Karin's, and she just smiled. "There was nothing to worry about. Kisame would never _dare_ to harm me."

The shark-man bit his bottom lip. At least, that made one of them… He really did come with the intention of killing her, and he regretted that.

"Oh, yes, that reminds me." Sakura said, laughing at her foolishness. "I have a proposition for you, Sharky-sempai." Her smiling expression was replaced by a grave and solemn face. "You're either with me or against me. I'd rather not fight you, and I'd rather not meet you on the battlefield. However, if you choose to side with Madara then I have no choice but to send you to the afterlife. I'm sure Weasel-kun and the rest of them will be pleased to deal with you there. So choose wisely."

And with that, Sakura took Karin by her wrist and dragged the girl with her back to the hideout, leaving a bewildered Kisame. But confused as he was and misguided as he had been, his choice was clear. He wouldn't stray from his path any longer. He'd help the cherry blossom or die trying.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Once back at the hideout, Sakura put a hand to her chest and let out a relieved gasp, her knees almost buckled. "Oh god, for a moment there, I thought he'd really _kill_ me!" she exclaimed, almost crying—tears came to her eyes as the thought of Kisame betraying her came to mind. She knew he could never do it, but the thought that he had attempted to almost brought her to the brink of insanity. How could _he_, the last of her Akatsuki sensei, betray her like that? How could he even think to do that? _How_?

"Sakura, what—"

"Karin, you can take a break. I'll watch over her tonight."

The redhead turned to the Uchiha, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at his ex-teammate. "But…"

"It's okay, Karin." Sakura said, her gaze stuck on Sasuke. "I have something to say to him. You deserve a break anyhow."

Karin's attention shifted between the two, the tension in the air was so thick it was almost sickening. She knew that nothing she said would change the two's minds, and so she just walked out of the way to where Suigetsu and Juugo were probably at. She could only hope this sexual tension, as Suigetsu deemed it to be, would not increase over their conversation.

* * *

><p><strong>Fujin = madam<br>****Neechan = older sister (honorific)  
>Shimatta = shit<strong>

**Yippee! Done! Done! Chapter's done! Took me a while! I was so happy when I actually finished it! Yay! Please review, you all!**

**(P.S. if you have time, read my other fanfics!)**


	3. 3rd Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

* * *

><p><strong><em>Finally<em>! A new chapter! I am _so sorry_ that it took forever! I can't believe I took more than _three months_ to update this story! Like I said, I'm _so_ sorry! School has gotten a lot more work-tedious, and I have absolutely _no time_! This chapter is not as good as I would have liked. It's a lot of memory, and it's just only a couple of scenes. There's not much, but I felt that this needed its own chapter. So enjoy!**

**Also, anyone found out about one of the new _Naruto_ filler episodes coming out? It's called "_Konoha Girls-Only Club_." I _really_ want to see what that's about. I hope it's actually a _good_ episode about the girls of Konoha and not some messed-up filler.**

* * *

><p><em>Why do I always feel full of spirit?<em>

_Whichever time it is,_

_I will keep on fighting_

_Perhaps this is the great wonder of life_

* * *

><p>~The Third Hanami~<p>

"_Oh_?" Sakura said as she walked back into her room, her hair dripping wet and a towel rested on her shoulders to keep her clothes from getting drenched. It had been a relaxing past hour, she singing to herself while she took a bath. Yes, it was safe to say that the last hour had been the first time in _weeks_ since the pinkette had had a chance to relax but, at the sight of the Uchiha, all her stress just came back to her. "You're still _here_?" she asked, a sneer of disbelief in her tone but none evident on her face. From the sound of her voice, it was as though she was saying she wouldn't believe another word that came out of the Uchiha's mouth. Though from past experience, she knew whatever he said was usually the truth, but she had gotten so provoked with him that, at this point, she would just rather take her anger out on him than suffer any more aggravation.

"Hn, I told Karin I'd watch over you tonight."

Her hands that gripped her towel tightened into shaking fists. She wasn't a baby that needed watching, and she hated the fact that he was using _Karin_ as an excuse. "Oh… Right, I've forgotten about that…" She said no more as she strolled towards her dressing table. She laid her hands on the counter, leaning towards the mirror and staring at her reflection. "Hm…" She touched the tips of some hair strands. "You know, you didn't do such a good job on my haircut," she commented, still playing with her hair. She had to admit, Sasuke had done a better job than Ino had at first—the thought almost had her laughing—but the little mistakes annoyed her terribly. "I had wanted Karin to redo it, but we had gotten into an argument and—"

"Cut the crap, Sakura," Sasuke snapped, grabbing the girl's shoulders and turning her around. He slammed his hands against the mirror on either side of her head, almost breaking the reflective glass.

If Sakura had been frightened by his abrupt outburst, she hid it well. She had gotten quite good at that. Her eyes had only widened, wondering when he had gotten behind her—now in front of her—so quickly. She had been looking in the mirror, for god's sakes! How did she _not_ see him move?

"You said you had something you wanted to say to me," he stormed, clearly infuriated by her antics. "But I've been here for the last _hour_ waiting for you to finish your bath, and yet you're _still_ stalling! Whatever's on your mind," he gritted his teeth to prevent himself from getting any louder, "spit—it—out—_now_!"

"_Why_?" she spat out, resisting the urge to scoff and roll her eyes. She wanted to say that _he_ never spoke his mind, so why should _she_? But she bit back her tongue at the last minute. "Karin probably _already_ told you what happened anyway." She wondered why she sounded so bitter when she mentioned the Hebi member.

And apparently as he narrowed his eyes, so did he. "I don't like your tone." It almost sounded as if she were _jealous_. Of course, both of them knew that _that_ wasn't even a _possibility_ at this point.

"What are you? _My father_?" She had to hold herself back from screaming at him. How _dare_ he say that to her! _He_ was the one who used aggressive measures in the first place. It was only right that she defended herself.

His eyes stayed narrowed. "You know, I remember a time when you wouldn't _dare_ talk back to me." Oh, now how _those_ were the days… He actually had peace and quiet back then . . . for a period of time.

Sakura almost wanted to laugh at how he sounded. It almost seemed as though he _missed_ those times. "Well, times have changed, if you hadn't noticed," she hissed. "If you hadn't _left_ then maybe things might have been different." Her hard glare softened then, and she sighed, clearly tired of this back and forth nonsense. "But all we seem to do now is butt heads with each other." The pinkette felt so _stupid_. Thinking back to what Karin had told her, everything seemed to make sense now. She should have seen it from the start. Madara had always wanted her to feel alone, as if there was _no one_ she could trust, as if the whole world was against her. She should've known he would pit her against Sasuke. How she didn't notice was _beyond_ her. "When in the world did I ever learn to trust Madara's words over yours?"

Sasuke's eyes returned to their regular size, his scrutiny of his ex-teammate forgotten as he took in her pitiful state. His hands returned to his sides. He didn't want to explain anything to her. He didn't know how to.

"You never told me—never planned to tell me either, didn't you? You were never going to tell me the truth behind my mother's death…" Sakura could feel her eyes beginning to water. God, she felt so pathetic, crying at just the mention of her late mother. "_Why_?" she asked him, her voice only but a whisper. She didn't look up at his face. "Why would you keep quiet as Madara _accused_ you? I don't understand…"

". . . It was to protect you."

Sakura gazed at him with eyes spilling over with astonishment. Had she heard correctly or did Sasuke actually say that he had been trying to protect her? Did he really…? She wiped away her torrential tears, laughing at the irony of events.

_"Sakura, I want you to promise me something."_

_"Yes, Itachi-kun?"_

_"Promise me that you'll take care of Sasuke for me after I go."_

_"I will, don't worry. I'll take good care of him." Sakura nodded her head, but her tears began pouring out of her eyes the moment Itachi said those last three words._

_Itachi smiled a bit at her words, throwing her into a small embrace. "Everything is going to turn out for the best, you'll see…"_

"How did things turn out this way?" She tried to smile, but her sob ruined it. She inhaled a large breath of air, trying to stifle her cry, but she ended up spewing out a suffocated cackle. "I promised him . . . I promised your brother that _I'd_ take care of _you_, so . . . _how_? How is it that _you're_ taking care of _me_ instead? Oh, god, look at me…" She buried her wet face in her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore… Not in front of you or anyone else… But now…" She leaned against Sasuke's chest as his arms wrapped around her and doing only that. Again, Sakura's laugh was choked between her sobs. Sasuke was a horrid comforter. She couldn't blame him for trying, though. It was a nice gesture, but it only made her miss the older of the Uchiha brothers—the teacher she had been closest to during her time with the Akatsuki—more. "You _better_ not tell me _'everything is going to turn out for the best'_ because I have had _enough_ déjà vu for one day."

A smirk pulled against his lips. He was almost _tempted_ to say those words without the knowledge that they had been the last words his brother had said to her, just to torment and irritate her. However, he resisted the temptation and rested his chin on top of her head. He remembered a time when she faintly smelled of strawberries. Now she carried the scent of her namesake, the delicate and fragile cherry blossom.

"I hate them all…" she murmured against him, her hands clutching the cloth of his shirt. "I hate them _all_ for leaving me here… They're all _idiots_ for leaving me alone… I hate them all so much…" But though her voice carried the resent, they both knew she didn't even mean half of it.

_"I don't want our relationship to be estranged… I don't want to end up like Sasuke-kun, Mama… I don't want to end up hating you and Papa… I don't want to end up hating the baby… But I can't help but feel this way… I'm not the one who's bad, Mama… It's you and Papa who are the bad guys… Because of you two, I can't accept this child as my baby sibling… You're the ones who made me like this…! Because of you . . . because of you…!"_

_"Sakura…" Konan threw her daughter into a hug. "I'm so sorry… Yes, it's my fault… I've neglected to see how lonely you've been… I didn't see what I was turning you into… A child deprived of a mother's love, I know how that feels… It was wrong of me to do so… Forgive your mother, child… She's _so_ sorry…"_

_"Mama…" Sakura cried._

_"I promise . . . I'll be a better mother to you… I'll work harder on that… I won't let you fall into darkness… I love you, you know that, right? Your father and I love you so much… You're our pride and joy… You have to know that… We love you so much…"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"Hey, hey! I thought I told you that the rule for this test was to _not_ set off _any_ of the bombs, un! But you go and set off _all_ of them, huh?" Deidara asked. "Some prodigy, you are…"_

_"I'll take that as a compliment, Ino #2!"_

_"Hey… When are you going to stop calling me that, un?"_

_"When I feel like it, _duh_!"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"_Ha_! Read 'em and weep!"_

_Deidara slammed his fist onto the table. "Aw, _again_, un?"_

_"Dammit, Pinkie! Don't you think you should give us a break?" Zetsu asked, the black side cursed while the white side had asked the question._

_"_Nope_!" Sakura giggled as she collected all of the money._

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"You guys tricked me! I thought you called me here to talk or something!"_

_"We _are_ talking, sweetie." Pein said._

_"Yes, we are, but I'd prefer we talk about something _other_ than me going on a mission! Not only that but, this time, why do you have to call Itachi and Kisame to _'protect'_ me? They're not _protectors_—they're a _danger_ to _all_ of human society!"_

_"Hey, Pinkie, don't you think that's kind of _rude_?" Kisame asked. "I mean, your father and mother are _also_ a danger to humanity. Why are _we_ the only ones being accused?"_

_Konan ignored Kisame and walked over to her daughter, one hand on her large stomach. "Think about it, sweetie. If anything happens, you can hide behind them so that, even if someone shoots some kind of strong jutsu at them, at least _you'll_ be alright." She patted her daughter on the head._

_Sakura pouted in defeat. "Well . . . I guess you have a point there."_

_"Also, one more thing." Pein said. "I don't think you two will be a problem. _However_, these are the conditions you two will have to follow during this mission. You're forbidden to touch Sakura's clothes, body, or hair. You're forbidden to utter any comments that could be considered as an improper advance towards her. Furthermore, you're forbidden to smell her scent, steal her things, and have improper thoughts about her. You're also forbidden to enter her room. If you have no choice but to touch her then you are required to wear gloves. Lastly, do not get one scratch on her even at the cost of your own _life_. Understood?"_

_"H-hai…"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_Kisame chuckled. "Well, a lot of things in this world isn't right, but if everything were to _be_ right then we wouldn't really fit in with the crowd, you know?"_

_"You already don't fit in."_

_"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"Oh, what are you looking for, Shion?" Sakura asked._

_And when Shion saw her sister, she gave a big squeal and reached her hands out for Sakura._

_"Oh, she's after my hair again!"_

_"Well, that's what happens when you have long hair and a new baby in the house!" Konan laughed._

_"_Seriously_, Shion, it's not good to pull on other people's hair!"_

_"I think she likes you."_

_"She doesn't like _me_, Mama! She likes _my hair_!"_

_Laughter then "What's the difference?"_

_"There's a _HUGE_ difference!"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"I'm so worried about you… Please be safe and come back to see Shion and I…" Sakura kissed her father's cheek._

_Pein nodded his head. He stroked his daughter's cheek. "I'm more worried about you." His eyes shifted to Madara before returning to Sakura._

_"Daijōbu, Papa…" She lifted Shion up so that she was eye-level with Pein. "I'll make sure Shion and I are right here waiting for you."_

_Pein nodded his head._

_"Sakura, take care of Shion while we're gone."_

_"I will, Mama."_

_✿｡.:**:.｡✿_

_"Leave her be!" Sakura yelled. "That child _deserves_ to die…"_

_Isaribi turned around to glance at her mistress. "Fujin! You promised your mother that you'd take care of your younger sister!"_

_"If she doesn't keep her promises then why should _I_?"_

_"Because she's the only thing you have left of your parents Fujin, don't let Madara trick you like this!"_

"I miss them all _so much_…"

"I know…" Sasuke's grip on her tightened, almost as if he were afraid she'd collapsed from the excess of emotions she was going through. She was so weak, so frail… He didn't know how long she could hold on like that, but he knew he had to continue what Isaribi had tried to do and get the rosette out of Madara's grasp. He had to protect her, for the sake of even his own brother. "But you still have—"

However, before he could finish that sentence, there were screams outside. "No! _Idiot_! If you lean against the door like that, it'll—" And afterwards, the door to Sakura's room gave way and in fell Suigetsu and Karin. Juugo who _tried_ to look as though he had no part in the friendly espionage stood in the doorway, hands up as they were caught red-handed.

"_What_…?" Sakura jumped out of Sasuke's arms before the three could notice the two's embrace and make stupid innuendos about it. What awful timing they had… She wiped her face with her sleeve before addressing the three. "What are you guys doing here?" She tried to hide the displeasure from her voice.

"Oh, well, we…" Suigetsu scratched his check, a sly smile on his face as he tried to think of an excuse. He didn't want a sword in the gut nor did he want to get punched into oblivion. "_Well_… We weren't _eavesdropping_ if that's what you mean."

The redheaded female could only groan at the boy's pretext. _Real subtle… It's such a _wonderful_ story that they _definitely_ buy it… Idiot…_ Dusting off her skirt and fixing her glasses, Karin decided it was time she spoke up. "Madara sent us with a message," she told the two. "I didn't want to interrupt _whatever_ you two were doing—"

Both Sasuke and Sakura wanted to protest against that. It sounded as if Karin had thought they were doing something _naughty_! Exactly what did they do to get such a reputation with the rest of Team Hebi?

"But I thought you two would like to know: we're travelling to the Kage's summit, first thing in the morning."

"The morning?" Sakura asked, an eyebrow rose. Surely, she hadn't lost track of _that_ much time. "But the Kages don't meet until the end of each year. Why—"

"They decided to have it early this year to discuss the recent developments concerning Akatsuki and the tailed beasts," Karin answered, knowing the question the Hokage's apprentice was going to ask.

"I should have known…" Sakura blamed herself for losing track of the outside world. She had been so preoccupied with her _own_ well-being that she hadn't the chance to realize what was happening with the _rest_ of the shinobi villages. Of course, with only two of the tailed beasts left, the Kages _would want_ to change their methods in dealing with the threat that the Akatsuki had grown to become. How could she have _missed_ that?

"There's also something else."

"What is it?"

She and Sasuke watched as the three exchanged wary looks, probably wondering if they should hold back their tongue or convey the information. The exchange only made the two more curious as to what was going on.

"Sasuke, don't bite off our heads," Suigetsu warned, "but…"

"Danzo is going to the summit, as Konoha's representative." It was Juugo who reported this. (Of course, being the farthest away from the Uchiha and having the other two Hebi members stand in between them gave him some courage that that other two did not have.)

Sakura watched as Sasuke's hands rolled into fists, but she was proud of him. At the very least, he was screaming he wanted revenge against Danzo for killing his family and whatever. But like the rest, she too thought it'd be best to take just a _few_ steps away from the enraged Uchiha. Just in case. However, once it was known that Sasuke wasn't going to attack everyone in a fury, Sakura found something very weird about what Juugo had said.

"Wait, why _Danzo_?" she asked. It was a Kage's Summit—Kage meaning that Tsunade as the Hokage should have been going as Konoha's representative. So why was Danzo going instead? "He doesn't have that high of a position or that important of a stance in Konoha now. Why would he be going instead of the Fifth?"

"_Well_…" Suigetsu rolled his eyes, ended up glancing at Karin, almost asking if he should tell Konoha kunoichi—_Konoha_ still because Sakura had yet to be branded as a rouge ninja—or not. He received a jab in the gut for the motion since he only made things worse.

"What is it that you're not telling us?" Sasuke asked, undoubtedly disgruntled by his team's reluctance to disclose the news.

"_Anoo_… Sakura, I don't know how to tell you this, but…" Karin seemed very intent on delaying the answer. It was that or she was indeed trying to find a better way to tell the kunoichi the bitter news. "Lady Hokage Tsunade, she… After your father's invasion of Konoha, she used up all of her chakra reserves to save the village, and she . . . she fell into a coma."

Time went by slowly as the four members of Sasuke's team watched for any changes in Sakura's stance, ready to catch her at any moment if she decided to faint. But her collapse did not come. Instead, her eyes only watered.

"Oh, _thank god_…" the rosette sighed in relief. And before the members of Team Hebi could shoot her questioning glances, she continued, "It's only just a _coma_… I thought you were going to tell me she was _dead_."

"Back to the Kage's summit…" Sasuke changed the subject, hoping to skip the moment of awkward silence. He didn't think Sakura would let it go if she knew that they had been thinking she might have gone crazy.

"Oh, right! Madara said that you and Sakura should go there and do as you please until he arrives," Suigetsu said. They all wondered how he could forget such an important piece of information.

"Do as we _please_?" Sakura asked. Had she heard _wrong_? She turned to Sasuke, hoping that he knew what the ancient Uchiha warlord was planning. To her dismay, he had no clue as to what was going on inside of Madara's wicked mind.

Karin nodded. "That was all he said to us," she explained. "He only told us about the Kage's summit and that he wanted _you two_ to go out first."

"Just _us two_?" Sasuke too was curious about Madara's decision.

"He didn't elaborate, and…" Juugo hesitated before going on with his suggestion. "I mean no offense to you, Sakura-san, or to you, Sasuke, but we should go with you and Sasuke. We'd feel better if you two didn't go alone."

Sakura nodded her head, understanding the man's reasoning. "I can see why you're so worried. With Madara, we have to assume the worst." And from her past experiences, she knew the worst really meant the worst of the worst.

"Yeah, I mean, do you have _any idea _how_ many_ Zetsu-clones Madara has waiting on his command?" Suigetsu asked. The information of Madara's secret army had only come to him when Karin told him that she had felt a few thousands of presences underneath the Akatsuki hideout. And not believing in the phrase "Curiosity killed the cat," Suigetsu had decided to check things out, only to have been met with the shocking (and naked) sight of the Zetsu-army. "I can bet you, he has over a few _thousand_ already able to fight!"

But Sakura only sighed, having already anticipated Madara hiding a covert militia. "Even if you come with us, nothing will change if Heaven's will is with him."

"Sakura, be more _reasonable_!" Karin pleaded. Why was the girl being so pessimistic? She had thought Sasuke had gotten through to Sakura, so _why_?

"You don't have to worry, Karin," the rosette said. "Like Juugo said, Sasuke's coming along with me anyway. Come what may, Hell or high water, I should be safe."

"But—"

"Daijōbu," she gave Karin a reassuring smile. "I don't have Tsunade-shisou's bad luck."

"You're playing a game of _chance_? At a time like _this_?" Karin asked, completely in disbelief. She wished Sakura would take things more seriously than that. If that had been the girl's attempt at a joke then she said it at a wrong time. She looked to Sasuke for help, to try and rationalize with his ex-teammate, but no luck there. "How do you know your luck hasn't run out?"

"I'm still _alive_, aren't I?" Sakura countered. "If my luck had indeed run out, I would've been dead a _long_ time ago."

"But—"

"Have faith in Heaven's will and my luck."

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Hinata looked around at the group, a sense of pride feeling her. All of her friends had worked so hard to become the shinobi they were now. They stood tall and proud as they left the village, the mission in the forefront of their minds. Hinata was forever grateful that she had such friends and even teachers, willing to go the distance for each other. She sneaked a glance at Naruto, her lips pulled into a small smile. She knew he thought so, too. They were all willing to throw everything away on this last mission to bring back Sasuke and Sakura. They were all willing to do whatever it took to bring back their friends.

And off they went, to the Kage's summit.

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><p><strong>Whoo! That's done! And on to . . . whatever fanfic I have to update next. I have absolutely no time to do anything. Today, my back's been hurting me, so I got to stay at home to do this, but I don't think the next chapter of this is coming out anything soon. Read my other fanfics when you have the time. I think you guys might like <em>The People Who Love Her and The People She Loves<em>.**

**Thank you and please review.**


	4. 4th Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

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><p><strong>Don't worry, you guys! I did <em>not<em> put this story on hiatus! I'm going to finish this all the way to the end! Okay, so I haven't updated in a really long time… Sorry, but I was having problems trying to decide what to do for this chapter. I'm really bad at battle scenes, and so I was deciding whether or not to omit the up-coming battles. For now, though, I've decided that the battles will be in the next chapter.**

**Also, I realized that I never added in the part where Sasuke takes Itachi's eyes… Should I include it, though? It just feels like that's too much… I also realized that I never explained how Sakura knew that Danzo and the Elders were behind the Uchiha Massacre. Well, I'm going to explain that in this chapter too, okay?**

* * *

><p><em>I fall in love and devote everything<em>

_I wish to myself,_

_This will be the last HEARTBREAK_

_Cherry trees swaying in time,_

_They will soon blossom_

* * *

><p>~The Fourth Hanami~<p>

Karin paced around, biting the nail of her thumb. Anyone could tell she was worried—Hell, worried was an understatement! She was beyond the point of anxiety, beyond the point of trepidation! "I should have argued with them more…" she muttered to herself, though both Suigetsu and Juugo could hear her. She didn't seem to notice this, though. "Maybe then they would have given in and let me go with them… _Oh_!" She clasped her hands together, almost in a praying manner. "Why did I allow her to go by herself?"

"Oy, Karin, Sakura's not _alone_, you know," Suigetsu pointed out, frustrated by the redhead's verbal thoughts. Her worrisome tirade had been going on since Sakura and Sasuke had left for the summit, Madara and Kabuto following soon after. "May I _remind_ you, for the _hundredth_ time, that _Sasuke_ went with her?"

"Oh, _shut up_!" the sensor nin shrieked. "Can't you see I'm _trying_ to think of a way to _help_ them?"

"Well, it's not really helping if you're just walking around like that…"

"I SAID _BE QUIET_!"

"_Sheesh_…" Suigetsu didn't shrink back into his seat but went back to sharpening his Guillotine Sword. "I try to calm her down, and she snaps at me…"

"Karin…" Juugo decided to have a go at calming his friend's nerves. "Perhaps you should just let it go—"

"Let it _go_?" she asked, again almost screaming, in disbelief. If looks could kill, Juugo would have been a hundred feet under by now. "What if Madara's planning on killing them _before_ they get to the summit and telling us that it was the Hokage or the Mizukage who killed them? Heaven _knows_ that's what he did with Konan!"

"Well…" _So much for_ that_ plan…_ "Don't forget, Karin. Sasuke's much stronger than Konan ever was. He won't let _anything_ happen to Sakura."

The redhead bit her lip. What Juugo had said was true, but she had already come up with a comeback to it. And yet, she desperately didn't want to believe her retort and wanted to believe that nothing really would happen at the summit, but she knew for a fact that Madara had ulterior motives for sending the two of them first. Something was up and fishy. And speaking of fishy…

"Kisame," she addressed the man who had just walked into the room. She refused to look at him for what he had tried to do in the meadow the other day. "What do _you_ want?"

"We're heading to the Summit," the blue-skinned swordsman said.

"_What_?" Karin raised an eyebrow, finally staring off at him. Exactly what did he and Madara have up their sleeves this time? "Your order was to stay behind and protect the Akatsuki base, was it not?" she questioned him, wondering what he was trying to do. Was Madara trying to get rid of them too?

"I don't care about orders anymore, especially from Madara," Kisame told her, knowing fully well what she was hinting at. He regretted his earlier choice of action. "My eyes have only fully opened yesterday when I attempted to carry out Sakura's assassination."

Suigetsu and Juugo could only gap at his words. He tried to _kill_ Sakura?

Karin ignored her teammates' shock and crossed her arms, still refusing to believe the Akatsuki member. "What made you change your mind?" she asked, watching him and his chakra for any signs of a false story.

"Akatsuki's goal was to create a new world, one where there would be a new sense of peace and one where shinobi wouldn't be needed any longer," Kisame explained. "For years, we went after the Tailed Beasts to create the perfect weapon for achieving that goal. We only fought and killed the people who got in our way under orders. We didn't know we were being manipulated and, even if we did, I think, we still would have gone along with it since we had no other purpose. S-ranked criminals, though separate from any village and its rules, have less freedom than even those under experiment by Orochimaru. We were always being hunted… We were always on the run, always covering our tracks, always making sure no one went against us… All that changed when we brought Sakura to the base. It was . . . _hard_ for us to adjust—none of us knew what to do with a rebellious teenager, and a _girl_, no less! What were we to _do_ with her? We would only taint her… But we learned, and we had a new purpose. We taught her, we molded her, we protected her from the world, and . . . we loved her. She is the combined product of Akatsuki, and she is the last legacy we have. The rest of the Akatsuki are already dead… But I know for certain that they would not want to see her—their beloved _student_, their _precious_ pupil—in the afterworld this soon. For their sakes and my own, I'll put down my life for her, just so that she can live a better future than the life any of us Akatsuki has had as criminals. Sakura may be her parents' only daughter left alive, but Akatsuki is also the fruit of her parents' labor. As such, Akatsuki is her brother, her sibling… And as a member of Akatsuki, I'll protect her… Just as an older brother would."

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

As they watched the Samurai getting into their positions, Sasuke and Sakura were careful in hiding their chakra. If they were caught now then everything would be ruined. They wouldn't have it. They needed to make this work.

"Don't forget your promise."

Sasuke glanced at the pink-haired kunoichi whose eyes were still focused on watching the Samurai. ". . . Only if you hold up your end of the bargain," he told her.

Sakura ignored Sasuke's short hesitation. She knew he wouldn't back out of it. He was the only one who could save her now. "Daijōbu," she said, a smile on her face and her eyes catching on to two new arrivals and their parties. "You'll get your chance at Danzo. Believe me, you will." She stood from their hiding place then and called to the Kage, "Terumi-san! Gaara-kun!" She refused to let Madara win, not even over her dead body.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"What . . . what do you mean by that?" Naruto asked the masked shinobi, the shock and surprise clearly written on his face and on his friends' as well. "What do you mean Itachi was under _orders_?"

"Just that," Madara said aloofly. "He killed his whole family for Konoha. He killed his family under orders from the Third, the Elders, and Danzo."

"That _can't_ be true…!" Hinata gasped. How could the village leaders organize something so inhumane? It had to be a lie!

"It explains why Itachi left Sasuke alive more so than his reason for wanting the perfect opponent," Madara pointed out. "And it explains why Itachi wanted Sasuke to kill him. But"—he raised his shoulders in a shrug—"it's your choice whether you believe me or not." And in an instance, he was gone just as fast as he had come.

In the silence that befell the group from Konoha, they all glanced at Naruto whose shoulders were hunched and fists were shaking. His back was to them, and so they could not see the hurt look on his face.

_Sasuke…_ He thought, swallowing hard. His mind was racing. _Sakura, I need you here_ with_ me. What should I do now? I can't possibly keep my promise to you if it means bringing Sasuke back to the place that ordered for the death of his family. I can't do that to him. I don't know what I should do…_ He was shaken out of his thoughts when a hand placed itself on his shoulder.

"We'll decide what to do later," a usually shy voice suggested in a firm tone. "Once we get both Sasuke and Sakura back and once the problem with the Raikage has been solved, we'll decide together."

Naruto was met with Hinata's approving nod.

"Don't you think that's the easiest thing to do now?" she asked him.

The jinchūriki didn't know what to say. He couldn't be selfish in a situation like this. There were so many other factors now…

"We're with you all the way, Naruto." Ino told him. And when everyone gave him their unvoiced agreement—small nods, words of encouragement, and strong determination in their eyes—that was all the push Naruto needed to continue to the Summit.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Place your hats on the table," the general of the Land of Iron said once the Kage all found their seats and their bodyguards were in their respective places. "You are here today because the Raikage has called this meeting. My name is Mifune, and I will be your moderator. This meeting will now begin."

"I'll go first." Gaara announced, folding his hands on the table. Though he was the youngest and least experienced, he was not even the least bit timid with this crowd.

But the oldest of the leaders there just scoffed. "The makeup of the five Kage sure has changed," the Tsuchikage stated, looking at the teenaged Suna shinobi with distaste. "You must be something special to be made Kazekage at your age. Your father must have taught you right, but apparently he forgot to instill in you any manners."

"I guess…" Gaara shrugged, ignoring the insult in the old man's words. He was used to such comments. "That's why I'm here as Kazekage."

"Haha! Cheeky brat!"

"Tsuchikage, please stop interrupting." the Mizukage pleaded. "Kazekage, please continue…"

"I'm a former host," Gaara again started with his dialogue. "Akatsuki captured me and nearly killed me while extracting the beast." He almost shuddered at the memory, at the pain. "That's why I believe Akatsuki is extremely dangerous. I requested aid from the other Kage many times, but they all ignored me, with the exception of the former Hokage. Though, at this point with so many hosts captured, it's too late for aid."

"_Hmp_!" Again, it was the Tsuchikage who found fault with the ex-Jinchūriki. "If a country has had its host captured, it has no business giving other countries orders!" he said haughtily, his large and round nose high up. "It's an _embarrassment_! You should have tried to recover it in secret! Once it's stolen, you can't expect other countries to help you!"

"Appearance and honor…" Was there a need for that anymore? Gaara sighed at the tradition. "I don't have time for that ridiculous old-fashioned thinking."

"Just because the beasts have been stolen is no reason to be afraid," the Mizukage added. "It takes time and knowledge and skill to be able to control them."

"The hosts must grow with the beasts in order to adapt to them." Mifune seconded her words. "Even then, control is difficult. It won't happen immediately. Right, Kazekage?"

"In any event," Danzo decided to speak up, tired of this idle conversation. "The only ones who can truly be said to have controlled the beasts are Uchiha Madara, the First Hokage, the Fourth Mizukage, and the Raikage's brother, Killer Bee. If—"

"Quit this _yapping_!" Raikage snapped, slamming his fist onto the table. "Konoha! Iwa! Suna! And Kiri! Akatsuki is made up of missing-nin from _your_ villages!" he accused them, anger running through his veins. "And that's not all! I know that there are those among you, including former Kage, who have used Akatsuki for their _own_ purposes! I don't trust _any_ of you! I had no intention of speaking with you! I called you all here to find out where your _true_ loyalties lie!" He then turned to the only female there. "Kirigakure, you are the _most_ suspicious! You have no diplomatic relations with other countries! And there are rumors that Akatsuki was formed there!"

"To tell you the truth,"—Mizukage seemed nervous, almost debating with herself whether or not she should give out this information. Would she be _betraying_ her village's trust if she let out this small piece of info?—"There were suspicions that my predecessor . . . the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled by someone. It could have been Akatsuki, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"You all—"

"Raikage-san, I believe that is enough." The petite girl, wearing a bright red furisode adorned with white and pink cherry blossoms and with her short hair tied up with a kanzashi, came into the room then.

The Tsuchikage's eyes widened as did many of the other Kage's. "You're _Tsunade's_ apprentice! The one that went missing!"

"Amegakure has sent her here to speak with you all," Mifune explained as Sakura took her seat opposite of him and right in between the Kazekage and Hokage.

"Hm, weren't you _captured_ by the Akatsuki?" Danzo asked, his one eyes narrowing.

"It's a bit more complicated than that. I shall explain later," the kunoichi told him, a smile on her face. "But before this devolves into more infighting, Hokage-sama"—Danzo's title still burned her tongue; that should be Tsunade she was speaking to—"shouldn't you _tell_ them what you know?"

"What are you hiding?" Raikage asked in a rage. He already hated being with these people he had no trust in. Now, Danzo proved to him that there could be no trust between them.

". . . Akatsuki's leader is almost certainly Uchiha Madara," Danzo said. Though he was relunctant at first, he had been prepared to reveal this information from the start of the meeting. He was only hesitant because he wasn't sure what Sakura was plotting.

"I thought he was long since _dead_!" the Tsuchikage exclaimed, unable to believe his ears. Madara had been _way_ before his time! If he was an old and shriveled old man then Madara should have been in his grave for more than a few decades already!

"Yes." Gaara wondered the same thing as him. "How can someone live for this long?"

"I don't understand it, either…" Danzo told them. "But our source is certain."

"As a neutral country, I have to say," Mifune spoke, trying to bring the Kage to composure once again, "The leader of Akatsuki read the signs of the times… He used the stability and the suspicion of the other countries to increase his own power… But there's always a silver lining… It's rare for the five Kage to come together like this."

"Where are you heading with this?" It was the Raikage's turn to narrow his eyes.

"Isn't it _obvious_?" Sakura asked, the smile still plastered onto her face. This whole meeting seemed like a game to her. "We're purposing a five-village alliance."

". . . It's a good idea," Danzo agreed with her, though he disliked the idea of being in agreement with the apprentice of his predecessor. "We're in a state of emergency. We have to cooperate."

"The chain of command should be uniform," Mifune continued. "We want to avoid any further confusion."

"So the real question is…" Sakura took over again, eyeing each village leader. "Who will have authority over this new army…?"

"You will only fight amongst yourselves," Mifune addressed the Kage. "So I would like you to respect my position as a neutral party. I will decide who among you is best suited for the job. The only host left is Konoha's Kyuubi. What do you say? Will you allow the Hokage to lead the alliance?"

"_What_? Why _him_?" The Raikage was in disbelief. How could _Danzo_ be the leader? He _refused_ to accept this! "He is the embodiment of the darkness of the ninja world! We can't trust him!"

"Then _who_?" Mifune countered. There was something odd about the way he spoke, and his eyes seemed to be a tad glossed over. "_You_? It's true that some amount of emotion and power is necessary to lead so many strong warriors, but someone like you who lets his emotions control him will destroy the alliance. The Kazekage is too young to lead. The other countries will _never_ accept it. Even addressing him as Kazekage is hard for some. The Tsuchikage, on the other hand, is too old and is seen as having mobility problems. Furthermore, he has been used by Akatsuki too many times. He is the _least_ trustworthy. Kirigakure is the seat of Akatsuki. If the Mizukage were in charge, there would be worries about information leaks. There would concerns about spies, too. I don't know what Akatsuki plans with the Tailed Beasts, but we can't let them have the Kyuubi."

The only sound in the room was Sakura's laughter and the clapping of her hands. "Wonderful speech, Mifune-san. However…" She glared at Danzo. "Hokage-sama, you can't expect to take control of an army when you have to resort to brainwashing."

"_What_?" Again, it was the Raikage who let his fury show. "You _bastard_!"

"Don't listen to _her_!" Danzo advised, trying to shift the spotlight. There was no way some youngster was going to undermine _him_! He stood and pointed to the pinkette. "She's the daughter of the _founder_ of Akatsuki!"

"And what of it?" the Mizukage inquired, also standing, putting her hands on her hips. "She'll be very valuable. She has inside information about the organization that we _urgently_ need."

"But how do we know she doesn't have any ulterior motives?" Danzo tried once more to blacken Sakura. "She could be a spy for the Akatsuki, for all we know!"

"Better a spy than someone who would kill off their own village's citizens and shinobi!" Though Gaara remained in his seat, his impassive voice carried his resentment.

"Where are you going with this?" Danzo could not believe this! Why were they all intent on cornering him?

"Don't act coy anymore, Danzo," the Tsuchikage said, almost _tsk_ing. "You're unfit to have the title of Hokage if you're even willing to destroy a whole clan without first trying to make peace when you were the one to start the conflict!"

"Give up!" In the heat of things, the Raikage accidently knocked over his chair. He pointed an accusing finger at the bandaged and scarred geezer. "Everyone here _knows_ about the Uchiha Massacre and what you ordered Uchiha Itachi to do!"

"_What_?" Danzo stood his ground, though he knew the jig was up. There was no way he could argue with the rest of the Kage ready to lash out at him and anything he said. But how did they all found out about the covert operation? The secret was only supposed to stay between him, Konoha's Elders, the Third Hokage, and Uchiha Itachi. How did word get out? When he saw Sakura's smirk, he got his answer. "_Bitch_!" he growled while Sakura continued to look innocent. "You planned this from the start, didn't you? They're all your pawns, aren't they?" He moved to attack her. He was so close to her that none of the Kage could save her.

But Sakura wasn't worried. She wasn't going to die here and certainly not by his hands.

"_Chidori_!"

It was sudden, the chirping of a thousand birds. And, out of the blue lightning, Danzo was rammed into the wall and out of the building. No one was surprised.

"_Ooh_…" Dusting off her dress, Sakura winced at the sight of the huge hole in the wall. Why must her teammates _always_ make such big entrances? "Mifune-san, you can hold Sasuke responsible for the new renovation of your building. He does have a big fortune since his whole clan's banking accounts go to him as he is the last of his clan. You can send the bill to him once this is all finished with."

Mifune, who has just woken up from his trance, could only nod at what Sakura had just said. As he stared at the large fissure, he wondered what has happened. The last thing he remembered was proposing the ninja alliance.

"Hoo-hoo, _wonderful_ plan, Hime…" A clapping sound came from the new entrance Sasuke had made. Everyone was on alert now. "You and the Kage gave such a marvelous performance. You even had me guessing. Well," the masked man shrugged, "until I saw Sasuke taking care of Danzo's guards, that is." He chuckled. "Danzo didn't know what hit him until it was too late."

"_Uchiha Madara_…" the Raikage snarled. "How _dare_ you show yourself here!"

At this, all of the accompanying shinobi jumped into the room, all defending their Kage. They all knew how dangerous this man was.

"You're in no position to be making such exclamations," Madara said, a Sharingan peeking out from his mask. And with a snap of his fingers, multiple Zetsu clones materialized out of the ground and grabbed onto the Kage and their guards. "Don't bother trying to fight. They absorb chakra." He gazed at his glaring goddaughter, an evil smile on his face that went hidden. "Did you _really_ think you could win against me?"

Sakura didn't answer, only biting her bottom lip and clenching her fists. It was too early… Sasuke wasn't done with Danzo yet. She needed time or her plan would fail. She had to stall… But _how_?

"SAKURA-_CHAN_!"

Her eyes doubled in size at the familiar voice she hadn't heard in months. "Na . . . _Naruto_!" Her eyes grew even larger at the sight of everyone in Konoha 12 and their sensei. "You guys…" She mentally thanked the heavens. The gods haven't abandoned her yet. She could still win.

"Oh, you guys have arrived…" Madara didn't sound anxious at all. "No matter, you can't do anything with the Kage as my hostages."

"Oh, you think _so_?" Sakura dropped her act then, a knowing look on her face. It was the only warning Madara got before the Kage and their guards disappeared in puffs of smoke.

"What is the meaning of this?" He hid his surprise well.

"I came prepared for a war, God-dad!" Sakura proclaimed, though her kimono and traditional hairdo suggested otherwise. "There was _no way_ I was losing to _you_! You've underestimated me! As Tsunade's apprentice, I've made more allies than you could imagine! The Kage were only just of few of them, and now they're on their way to releasing the Tailed Beasts Akatsuki have already captured!"

Madara's hands rolled into fists, but he kept his composure. "_How_…?" was all he could spit out without losing his cool. "You were trapped in Akatsuki's base! How were you able to—"

"Itachi was never yours, nor was what's left of Akatsuki…" Sakura explained. (A/N: Hee-hee, sounds kinda like _Harry Potter_ when Harry tells Voldemort that Snape was Dumbledore's spy…) "The minute Itachi knew you told my parents to attack Konoha, he acted. He sent secret letters to the Kage, telling them about your plan, and he told me about what the Elders told him to do. Before he died, he made his wishes known to Kisame. You made a mistake when you told Kisame to kill me. He would _never_ hurt me under _any_ circumstances. In fact, he's even _helped_ me. He's going to lead the Kage to your captive Beasts and help free them. But your biggest mistake was to send Sasuke and me to the summit first. We met up with the Kage and planned this whole thing! We told them about you and about the Uchiha massacre! We were always a step in front of you."

"But how did I not sense the clones?" Madara refused to believe that _Sakura_ was able to get the upper hand in this.

"Sasuke created them so that not even the Sharingan could detect them," Sakura told him. She didn't tell Madara that she had given a bit of her chakra to Sasuke before the meeting so that he had enough chakra to fight off Danzo. Sasuke could have an advantage if Madara thought _he_ was low on chakra, and it wouldn't do her any good if Madara knew _she_ was in a weakened state. "There's no way you can win. The Tailed Beasts were your last resort, and now you don't even have them anymore. Face it, you've lost."

But Madara was not one to face the music. If he was going down then he wasn't going down without a fight. In a flash, he disappeared and reappeared behind Sakura before she could even blink and, before Naruto or anyone else could charge at him or could warn Sakura, he knocked her unconscious. And grabbing her, he jumped out of the room. If he was to lose then she'd pay for it.

"SAKURA!" Naruto was quick to follow.

"Naruto, wait!" Kakashi was after him within seconds.

"I'm not losing her again!" was Naruto's retort.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata and the rest also wanted to chase after them, but the Zetsu clones and a newcomer blocked their path. "You…"

"Heh…" Kabuto chuckled as the Zetsu clones surrounded the group. He supposed he could help Madara. For now… "If you want to save your precious friends then you'll have to get past _me_…"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Let her _go_!" Naruto screamed, almost tapping into the Kyuubi's power. How dare Madara do that to Sakura! How _dare_ he lay a finger on her!

"Take another step closer and she _dies_!" Of course, Madara planned to kill Sakura, no matter what, but he didn't feel the need to tell Naruto that.

Neither Kakashi nor Naruto could do anything as they watched as the Uchiha's grip on Sakura's neck tightened and she began to turn red. "Na . . . Naruto… Kakashi . . . sensei…" She seemed to plead with them as she tried to pry Madara's hand off of her. She could feel it. She was going to pass out… Was this how she was going to die? She needed to warn them… She needed to make sure they would come out okay… Where was Sasuke? _Sasuke-kun…_

Madara let her go, jumping out of the way of the flying sword. With its target gone, the sword stuck itself into the rock-hard ground, and Sakura fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Sasuke was by her side, steadying her.

"You're . . . late…" she gasped out once she regained the ability to speak.

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes. Leave it to Sakura to say that to her savior… "Sorry," he spat out, "But killing Danzo took longer than I expected." He turned to face the last two members of his genin team, a bit appreciative that they did not crowd around the girl who desperately needed air.

"Sasuke…" Naruto and Kakashi seemed as though they couldn't believe their eyes. He was on their side?

"Kakashi." Sasuke gave a curt nod to his sensei. And then with Naruto… "Dobe."

"_WHAT_ DID YOU CALL ME, TEME?"

The reunion, however, was cut short when Madara sneered from nearby higher ground. "Well, isn't _this_ a pretty picture? The original Team 7 back together for the last time… I'll crush you all and then we'll see if anyone else has the guts to challenge me."

* * *

><p><strong>Daijōbu = don't worry<strong>  
><strong>Furisode = a type of kimono with long sleeves<strong>  
><strong>Kanzashi = hair ornaments used in traditional Japanese hairstyles<strong>

**I don't like the ending to this chapter, but I think it works… I guess. Only four more chapters and an epilogue to go! Stay tuned to see what happens!**

**Oh, and check out my poll!**


	5. 5th Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

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><p><strong>I'm back from the dead! Finally finished with this chapter! I hated and loved writing this one. I hated it because of the battle scenes—<em>warning<em>! the battles all _suck_!—but I loved it because Kisame's so sweet to Sakura in this one! I almost cried when I wrote this! Eek! I gave out a spoiler! Oops… Oh, well, that's just something you readers will have to look forward to!**

**The beginning is very much focused on the remaining Akatsuki members, Team Hebi, and then Konoha 11 before switching back to Team 7. I tried to make this whole chapter very touching, in order to make up for my crappy battle scenes, and so let's hope I did a good job!**

**PS. Did anyone else saw the redesigns for Sasuke for the new _Naruto Shippuden_ movie? SASUSAKU FANS, WE HAVE HOPE! DOWN WITH THE ANTI-FANS!**

**PS. 2. Kahi's leaving After School… T_T… Wah! I can't believe it! After School just won't be the same anymore!**

**Wow! This is a long author's note! But I shall stop here, so you guys can read.**

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><p><em>Over and over in the changing seasons,<em>

_Even the shoes have worn away…_

_Loosen up your shoulders more_

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><p>~The Fifth Hanami~<p>

Chills went up Karin's spine as she felt the numerous amounts of chakra spiking. There was going to be some fights, and it wasn't just two battles—no, one was a melee, and the other a total clash of raw powers. She was frightened, so very frightened. Her mind was filled with so many questions that she almost couldn't keep up with. Who would win? And who would lose? Who would survive? And who would die? She hoped to the Heavens that Sakura would be alright. _Because Kami knows how much she's suffered throughout all this…_

"_Yo_!" Kisame's sharp reprimand brought the sensor nin out of her thoughts and back into reality. "We may have gotten the five Kage to the hideout to release the tailed beasts and reseal them, but we're not out of the woods _yet_!" It was ironic that they were racing through the forest at this time. "We still need to defeat Madara or all of this planning will be for nothing!"

"I . . . I know _that_!" Karin was insulted that Kisame would even insinuate that she would be daydreaming when there was so much at stake. She knew that if they were to fail then Sakura's life would have been forfeit. She couldn't have that. Sakura wasn't dying, not on her watch.

"Then let's get a move on!" the swordsman yelled back. He hadn't meant to sound so rude and impatient, but he couldn't help it. He knew what Madara was capable of, seen firsthand what the Uchiha warlord could do, and he'd be _damned_ if he let his only pupil—_Akatsuki's _only pupil—fight that bastard alone. What kind of teacher would he be to send his student to her death? "Which way?"

Karin was about to answer when suddenly she felt one of the same ominous chakras from the melee appear in front of them. Luckily, she wasn't the only one who noticed. Suigetsu and Juugo moved to shield her from the coming attack, but they hadn't needed to. Kisame had already blocked the chakra blast with his Samehada, his blade absorbing the jutsu before it could even do damage.

"And so . . . _this_ is what you choose?" The voice is not completely disappointed. In fact, there was a bit of pride and maybe even approval.

"Zetsu," Kisame only nodded his head in greeting. He was being nice because Zetsu had been his ally—had been as meaning was. This slight gesture would be one of the last between them as comrades, after all. They would be enemies once the battle started. The swordsman turned back to the three behind him. "Go ahead and help Pinkie!"

"But you—" Despite everything that had happened between them, Karin still saw Kisame as an ally. Naturally, she was worried. They couldn't afford to lose any more on their side. However, as her protest was cut short, her concern wasn't able to show itself.

"Don't worry about me," Kisame said, grinning a toothy smile. "I'll be _right_ behind you guys. Now go find Pinkie! That's an _order_!"

Karin was going to argue once again with him but was stopped by Suigetsu who just shook his head. Though his time was short with the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, he remembered clearly just how stubborn his sempai could be when he was determined to do something. There was just no way to change Kisame's mind after he decided to put his heart into something. It was a trait that only the best of shinobi shared. And so, Suigetsu led Karin and Juugo away from the coming skirmish. And as they moved further and further away from the two Akatsuki members, they were almost surprised that Zetsu didn't come after them.

"I should have known that the Akatsuki would end like this, its last members fighting to the death…" Instead, Zetsu was having an epiphany, speaking in a eulogy-related manner. He seemed almost sad, both white and black halves of him did.

"Heh," Kisame, too, couldn't help but laugh at the hand of fate he was dealt with. This wasn't going to be the first time he had betrayed and fought with his once long-ago comrades-almost-friends. "It's really sardonic, isn't it?"

Neither sides of Zetsu answered. The freak of nature just stared, his eyes blank almost as if he were looking back on fond memories. "I wish not to fight you," he decided to say at the moment, "nor do I wish to go against Sakura-hime,"—perhaps this was as close to crying as he could get—"but I _must_ follow my orders. I can't disobey, even if I wanted to. That's the only difference between you and me. At times, I can only curse my very being for not being able to make my own choices… I envy you for that…" His voice was laced with unsympathetic regret and shame towards only himself. "I wish only the best for her, tell her that."

The blue-skinned man sighed, feeling more or less remorseful for the plant-like man. "You know, Hime's going to be real pissed if I were to kill you…" He almost shuddered at the thought of seeing her screams mixed in with her wails. He didn't want to see that again. "She's lost too many of us… What would she have left if we were to be gone too?"

"I know…" Zetsu closed his eyes. He too did not want to picture seeing Sakura so distressed yet again. "But if my death meant that she would be much safer then I'll embrace this destiny I was given. I see no problem, just as long as she's _safe_"—when his eyes opened, there was a fire in them—"just as Leader-sama, Konan-sama, Itachi, Deidara, and the rest of them would have wanted."

Again, Kisame let out a huff of breath. Like him, Zetsu was also stubborn. He knew that Zetsu would continue to play his part, no matter how twisted it may have seemed. And so, as he pointed his Samehada at the man with no choice whatsoever, he could only pray that the late Akatsuki members could see the good intentions behind Zetsu's actions and not be too harsh on him in the afterlife.

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It was _bad_. _Very_ bad. Okay, it wasn't _just_ very bad but the _worst_ of the _worst_! There seemed to be no _end_ to the army of white creatures. Hinata couldn't tell where they ended or where they even came from. And it was even harder with Kabuto attacking them from all directions and with a few couple of snakes, nonetheless!

"Ino! I thought _your_ team was taking care of him!" Hinata heard Kiba yell in frustration. He wasn't really angry at the blonde, more like annoyed at how quickly Kabuto could get away from his attackers and pissed off that Kabuto had the upper hand as of now.

"Well, _sorry_!" Ino shot back, almost playfully. She didn't even seemed concerned as she used her short sword to slice a snake's head off of its body. That may have been her twentieth snake that she had killed within this battle. "But do you know how _hard_ it is to fight _and_ look hot at the same time?"

_Really?_ Hinata thought, a sweatdrop rolling down the side of her face. If she hadn't been in the middle of a battle, she would have shaken her head. _You're going to fool around now of all times?_

"But last time, I checked, Dog-boy," the Yamanaka continued while aiming a well-deserved punch at the snake-skinned medic. She missed, of course. "_Your_ team was supposed to be taking care of the naked white men!"

It was bad timing on Ino's part, however, because Hinata (her face red from Ino's previous comment) and Neji just released their stored-up chakra for two double rotations, destroying more than a couple of handfuls of Zetsu's. Kiba was going to tease the blonde once again when suddenly Sai's ink lions chewed away at a Zetsu that had managed to sneak up behind the canine-lover.

"May I suggest that we save all this bonding for later?" the ex-Root member asked, unsure of how to word his question. He let his ink lions run amok then, letting bite off the heads of multiple Zetsu's. "I hardly think that this is an _appropriate_ time for talking."

Tenten's laughter filled the air then, only becoming strained as she kicked one of the white Zetsu's in the place where it would hurt him the most. "_Priceless_!" She then took out a summoning scroll, and it rained javelins upon her enemies. "Hey, Neji, how come _you_ don't say something like that when _Lee_ gets out of hand? All you do is say something _boring_!"

The Hyuga in question could only take his aggravation out on an incoming enemy, sending the Zetsu back a few tens of feet. His punch may have rivaled Sakura's, and that _poor_ Zetsu ended up with a broken spine, despite being hit just in the stomach. "Well, why don't you _ask_ Sakura to switch teams with you when she's back in Konoha?" Neji sounded so very irritated.

"WHY, YES, THAT _IS_ A GOOD IDEA! A VERY GOOD IDEA!" Lee was ecstatic, so happy in fact that he gained back all the energy he had at the beginning of the now one-hour-long battle. It almost scared the Zetsu's that surrounded him. "LEAF HURRICANE!" His kick sent more than ten white Zetsu clones back a hundred feet, beating his teammate's earlier feat by just mere inches. "TENTEN, YOUR MIND IS SO _YOUTHFUL_!"

"Lee, this is not the time for any cheers!" Shikamaru warned as Choji used his Human Boulder technique and rolled over Kabuto, stalling time for Shikamaru to come up with another plan. "We have to focus!"

"Yes," Shino said, determined not to be forgotten in this battle too. He held out his hands, and swarms of his bugs flew out of his sleeves, landing on the Zetsu's and starting to chew on them as they were part plant. "As Sai had said earlier, this isn't an appropriate time to be talking amongst ourselves."

"Aw, _killjoy_!" Ino screeched as she formed chakra scalpels and aimed for Kabuto's jugular vein, only to jump out of the way when he aimed a jutsu at her.

"Pl-_please_!" Hinata pleaded with her friends as she aimed a Gentle Fist at a Zetsu who was trying to bite Neji's hand while Neji did the same to a Zetsu who tried to land a kick at Hinata's face. "Let's just . . . try and stay focused!" But unlike with Neji, Hinata's offense left her wide open for Kabuto to attack.

"Hinata-sama!" Neji's warning came too late for Hinata to move out of the way, and he was too far from her to help her. He could only watch helplessly as Kabuto made his way towards his little cousin.

"Hinata-chan!"

"_HINATA_!"

In just one moment, everything seemed to slow down. The bastard Kabuto was already in front of Hinata by the time everyone else had noticed. Everyone held their breaths, praying that Hinata would make it out okay and praying that someone would get to her in time before Kabuto could hit her.

Their prayers were answered.

An orange-skinned man suddenly appeared right in between the Hyuga heiress and her assailant, his rock-hard body taking the full brunt of Kabuto's attack. "Kabuto," he addressed the silver-haired creep, his voice stiff and eyes narrowed.

"What? _Juugo_?" The Orochimaru-fused medic couldn't believe it. This just couldn't be happening! "You were supposed be at the base!"

Juugo's shoulders just slumped upwards. His shrug would have been better and less tense if he had not been holding Kabuto back at the moment. "I guess I just forgot," he mused. "We were never any good at following orders…"

Kabuto was ready to aim a chakra scalpel at Juugo's head. "Damn you!"

"He said _we_, so don't forget _me_!" a voice sang as Zabuza's sword came crashing down, just missing Kabuto by a small inch as the villain jumped away from the swing.

Hinata just stared at her saviors, as Juugo's skin turned back into a normal shade. Exactly who were they? How did they know Kabuto? And why did they save her?

"Are you alright?"

Hinata almost jumped when she saw the redhead next to her, offering her a hand. The dazed heiress could only manage to nod as she took the girl's assistance and stood from the ground. "Who . . . who are you three?"

"Let's just say we're friends with Sasuke and Sakura, for now, okay?" Karin winked. She hoped that there wouldn't be any need for explanations. There was hardly any time for that. (Plus, she didn't want to get into the whole "Sakura hated us for some time and could hardly trust us until recently" skit.)

"Sasuke . . . and Sakura?" It was Ino who asked this as everyone who wasn't busy trying to take care of the oncoming slaughter of Zetsu's came over to check on Hinata. (As they spoke, Gai was busy keeping Kabuto away from his precious students while Yamato began to impale more and more Zetsu's with his wood-release jutsu.)

"Hey, let's save the talking for later!" Suigetsu's seriousness surprised Karin and Juugo. "We still got a lot to deal with right now! Konoha shinobi, we're on your side, okay? Make no mistake about it!"

"Karin," it was Juugo who spoke now. "Go and find Sakura and Sasuke. They'll need your help since Madara does have a teleportation jutsu up his arsenal. You'll have to locate him for them if he does, in fact, utilizes it."

"Sai will go with her," Yamato said. He was not as trusting as Konoha 11 was of these strangers. He wanted to make sure there would be no other problems besides from Madara and Kabuto. "It'll be easier for Karin to search for them on one of Sai's ink animal-summonings. And backup would be good in their situation."

Karin could only nod her head at the suggestion. No matter how strong Sasuke and Sakura were, they'd still need all the help they could get when it came to Madara. Madara was unpredictable, and so being able to find him at all times would give his opponents a slight advantage. And yet . . . there was a small part of the sensor nin that wanted to stay here and fight against Kabuto.

"Eh, don't worry about him," Suigetsu told her, sensing her slight hesitation. "I'll give him a good butt-whooping just for you."

Karin couldn't argue with that, and so she hopped onto the large bird that Sai had drawn up, and together they flew off to find Team 7. And as she screamed to them, "You two better make it out _alive_!", both Juugo and Suigetsu had wanted to give her some sort of confirmation that they heard her (and to say that the gesture was so nostalgic as it was the same that Sakura had said to Isaribi way back when Team Hebi were capturing them), but Kabuto got in the way again, flinging an injured Gai at them.

"_GAI-SENSEI_!" Lee would've charged straight at his sensei's offender, but Juugo stopped him.

"Let us take care of him," he said, glaring intently at the scaled man. For once, Juugo welcomed his evil side. "You Konoha shinobi will watch our backs."

"Yeah," Suigetsu said, swinging his sword in preparation. "We've got a bone to pick with him. After all, Juugo and I never got the chance to _thank_ him for experimenting on us."

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"You know"—heavy breathing—"I find it"—loud _boom!_ in the background—"kinda funny"—an _"ow"_ as Sakura set back his dislodged shoulder with a loud _pop!_—"that Sasuke and Naruto can"—another loud _boom!_—"work so well together"—some more heavy breathing—"despite not doing so"—and a final _boom!_—"for three years already."

"Well," Sakura said as she inspected her genin teacher for any more mortal wounds before turning her head to watch the battle, "Just be grateful that they aren't _killing_ each other right now."

"My sentiments exactly." His eyes followed the combatants as they once again rearranged the landscaping of the area. The copy-cat ninja wanted to help his two male students but couldn't, knowing that being just recently healed would only help him get in their way. "You know, that viper whip of yours is really something."

"Thanks…" Though Sakura replied, her voice sounded distant, as if she were barely paying any attention to the silver-haired jonin, as she watched the fight ensue. "Naruto's gotten better."

Kakashi's eyebrow rose. He never thought that Sakura could use so much acrimony when speaking about the blonde. He always thought it would be Sasuke who he'd have to reprimand for that. "Well, of course, he has," their sensei stated, matter-of-factly. "He does want to succeed in bringing _both_ of his teammates home, after all. How would he be able to do so if he _didn't_ improve in these last few months that you were kidnapped?"

He watched as Sakura's face darkened at the last word. And from just that reaction, he knew that there was more to the story than everyone thought, and so he could only sigh before ruffling his only female student's pink hair. "Daijōbu," he told her. "You can tell me everything when you feel like it."

A small smile made its way onto the cherry blossom's face. She appreciated the fact that Kakashi didn't poke his nose into her business, especially at a time like this. And to tell the truth, she didn't even know if she was ready to tell anyone yet. No one in Konoha knew that Pein and Konan were her parents, and she didn't know if she wanted to keep it that way or not. Her heart was still in so much raw turmoil that she still couldn't think straight at times.

"Sakura!"

"Karin?" Sakura blinked her eyes in total disbelief. "Sai?" It really wasn't a genjutsu… "What are you two doing here…?"

"Helping you out, of course, Ugly."

Sakura could feel one of her vein's popping. Oh, she so did _not_ miss this at all… She would have punched Sai, had she been in Konoha and not on the battlefield. Oh, so help her… But then she caught eye of the ink bird Sai had yet to release. "Oh, yeah, _definitely_ helping out." Her smile scared all three of those who watched as it crept onto the kunoichi's face.

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"Got any more bright ideas, Dobe?"

"Hey, if you're going to _complain_ then come up with your _own_ goddamn plan!" Naruto screamed back as his clones prepared another super-powered rasengan and shot it at Madara. This was probably the tenth rasengan he's used, and this was probably the _most_ he's used in any _one_ battle. "Do you have _any idea_ how hard it is to come up with plan after plan? I don't see _you_ trying!"

The Uchiha just _tch_ed as he sent a chidori at their enemy only to have Madara kick one of Naruto's clones at him. Sasuke was forced to stop the jutsu and to use the clone as a sort of boomerang/weapon, throwing the Naruto clone back at Madara, only for the clone to start tackling the masked man. At this distraction, Sasuke looked to where Kakashi and Sakura were supposed to be and was surprised to find Karin and Sai also there but no Sakura.

_Don't tell me she's on one of those mood swings of hers again…_ His eyebrow twitched at the thought. He didn't know if he could deal with _both_ a depressed Sakura and an angry Madara all at the _same time._

"Hey, Teme!" When he turned to look at Naruto, the blonde was already running towards Kakashi. "Get out of the way!"

At first, the Uchiha was confused by this sudden turn of events and later on by the shadow that was getting bigger and bigger. And when he looked up, he could only curse under his breath. "Oh, _shit_." There was no time to get out of the way, and so Sasuke just braced himself as he watched Sakura fall from more than a hundred feet and smash her fist into the top of Madara's head and smashing him down to the ground. A point-nine earthquake couldn't even compare to the kunoichi's brunt force attack. There was definitely going to be a crater, what with all the debris and giant boulders flying around. It took a whole fifteen minutes before the dust settled completely and, once everyone could see again, Madara was nowhere in sight.

"SAKURA! GET OUT OF THERE _RIGHT NOW_!"

Karin's distressed shrieks had Sasuke on guard once more and racing towards the pink-haired girl. But Madara seemed to be much faster, a sword in hand, ready to ram it through his goddaughter.

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"Um . . . do you think we went a bit too _far_?" Juugo wondered aloud. Only just now did he realize what a bloody mess Kabuto looked like. . . . Err, well, whatever left of Kabuto, that is.

"_Nah_…" Suigetsu gave him a toothy grin. "He got what was coming to him anyway. Deserved worse, though. We went _easy_ on him. Now let's get these—_oh_?"

At the moment when Juugo and Suigetsu were going to help Konoha 11, the Zetsu clones all began to disintegrate. At first, only a few of them actually did so, but then the number turned to handfuls and soon the whole army was dying out as if they were weeds being attacked by weed killers.

"Kisame did it…" Juugo was the one to figure out the reason why. "He defeated the original Zetsu."

But Suigetsu wasn't impressed, only throwing his arms behind his head. "Yeah, but it's a little late, isn't it?" He pointed at the three students mourning their sensei who died with a smile and whose youth had finally left him. The swordsman felt nothing but pity for them. "They'll still have to prepare for the funeral."

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Shizune woke up with a start, breathing heavily as she returned back to reality. She wiped off the sweat from her forehead when she saw the comatose woman in front of her. _It was only a dream…_ she thought in relief. _Just only a dream…_ She poured herself a glass of water, chugging it down in an effort to calm herself.

"Please, Lady Tsunade…" She couldn't remember how many times she has begged already, but she wasn't going to stop now. "Please wake up… Just please, so that I know for sure that you won't leave me… Not like Dan-ojisan…" The mention of her uncle brought Shizune to tears. She was only _eight_ when her beloved uncle died. Her uncle had been like a father to her, the only person she had left after the Third Ninja War. After he had died, it had been so hard on her, fending for and living only by herself. She had been so grateful when Tsunade came into her life and took her around the world. She finally had a mother again, and she refused to lose that mother as she had lost her fatherly figure. "Please don't go with Dan-ojisan…"

When she moved to massage the sleeping lady's arms, she gasped, unable to believe her eyes. Had she just imagined it or did Tsunade actually _move_ her finger?

"Lady Tsunade!"

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She watched as the blood dripped onto the floor, her eyes wide. She had not seen it coming. She had not realized until it was too late. Her arms went limp, and she fell to the ground, her arms barely supporting her. Her breaths were short, and her face was ashen. "S . . . Sharky . . . sempai…" She swallowed, unable to recognize her own voice. Tears ran down her face.

Standing in front of her with Madara's sword impaled through his stomach was no other than the last living Akatsuki member, Kisame. He clasped the hand Madara used to wield the sword in order to keep the Uchiha warlord in front of him.

"Kisame… you _fool_…" the masked man growled, trying to pull out his sword. "You dare _betray_ me?"

"I always was one to betray my allies for my own survival…" He turned his head around when he heard someone take in a sharp breath. "Heh… It looks like I came just in time, Hime… Heh, I always wanted to be the one to save the damsel in distress…"

Sakura would have hit him if only under different circumstances. How _dare_ he make a joke… How dare he when he was coughing up _blood_! "You _idiot_! Did I _ask_ you to save me?" she screamed at the same exact moment Sasuke and Naruto appeared right by her side. "Why did you jump in front of me? Huh? WHY? What use are you now if you're _mortally wounded_?"

"Did you forget what I taught you, Hime?" he asked. And with his free hand, he made hand signs. "Even when all seems futile, a shinobi must be ready to do whatever it takes to protect those he holds dear, no matter the cost."

And with that, Sakura came to a realization, gasping when she recognized the hand sign order. "You can't be thinking about doing _that_ jutsu, are you?" she asked, trying to stand. She almost tripped over her two feet, had it not been for Sasuke who held her steady. "You're going to…! You _can't_!"

"Gomennasai, Pinkie…" Again, he coughed up blood. "But this is the only way to bring down Madara… Water Prison Jutsu!" Water liquidized from the air and, once there was enough, a large stream of it surrounded both Kisame and Madara. Madara tried to teleport away but, using his hand that still clutched onto Madara's wrist, Kisame absorbed all of the Uchiha's remaining chakra.

"Pinkie, you _better_ live on," the blue-skinned man said as three sharks were summoned into the watery orb. "The legacy of your parents and Akatsuki now rest with you." He held Madara in place as the sharks began to dine on their dinner. Soon, the water was drenched in red. "Do something marvelous with it."

"_Kisame_!" Sakura was held back by both Naruto and Sasuke before she could be swept up into the jutsu as well. She didn't put up much of fight, still tired from the battle with Madara and healing Kakashi's fatal shoulder wound, until she saw one of the sharks take a bite out of Kisame's waist. "SHARKY-_SEMPAI_!" With whatever chakra she could muster, she pushed her Team 7 teammates out of her way and stuck her hand in the water prison, screaming, "RELEASE! _RELEASE_!" Tears covered her face, running down her face in a speed that rivaled both Lee's and Sasuke's combined.

But the jutsu continued to hold on. The sharks feeding off of both Madara and Kisame.

"RELEASE!" Sakura's screams fell on deaf ears. "RELEASE! _RELEASE_, GODDAMN YOU! RELEASE! _PLEASE_…!"

Only when Madara was totally and completely gobbled up by the three sharks and when the three sharks disappeared in _poof!_s did the jutsu release itself. Kisame, missing an arm and a large chunk of his torso, fell to the ground. His blood was everywhere.

"Kisame…" Sakura raced to his side, placing her chakra laced hands onto the large gash where his abdomen was supposed to be. "Oh, please, oh, _please_…" She poured her chakra into her healing jutsu, but the blood just wouldn't stop. "Please don't leave me too… You can't go… _Please_! You _can't_…!" Her bangs fell over her green eyes, becoming wet with all her tears.

With his only hand left, Kisame grabbed both her hands, shaking his head. "Save your chakra . . . for your teammates…" he told her.

"_NO_! I can save you! Please, Kisame! _Please_, just let me _try_…"

But she was silenced when he shook his head again, his hand combing back her hair. "There, now I can see your pretty face"—he coughed, spewing blood; he looked so odd, almost purple—"as I leave from this world…"

Of course, his words did nothing to console the crying kunoichi. "Sharky-sempai…"

"Oy," he turned to Sasuke and Karin when he heard the latter and Kakashi and Sai gather around him as well. "You two . . . you better take good care of her… Or . . . you'll face the wrath of Hoshigaki Kisame's ghost, you hear me?"

"Y-yeah…" Karin, too, was crying while Sasuke just nodded his head.

"Hey, I know this would be better coming from Itachi," he said to Sasuke, "but try and find something . . . other than revenge to live for. I think . . . you know what I mean, right?" He got his answer when Sasuke's eyes shifted to Sakura for only just a second before returning to the dying man. "Oh, and tell Suigetsu . . . that the Samehada . . . is his now…" he added with a chuckle. "The boy will be so happy… Wish I could be there to see that… I knew him since he was a little tyke… It'd be nice . . . if I could…"

"Please, Sharky-sempai…" Again, Sakura pleaded with him to change his mind. "I can still—"

"You know," he told her, "I liked it better . . . when you made snide comments and called me . . . an ugly shark-boy instead of you . . . crying like this again."

"_Please_, Kisame…"

For the last time, he shook his head. "It's useless… I'm long gone."

"No, don't say that! _Please_!"

"I'm sorry . . . that I made you cry again . . . and I'm sorry . . . that I have to leave like this . . . but I'm glad that I died . . . while protecting someone I love. Perhaps this will be enough . . . to get Itachi and them to forgive me for trying to kill you that one time," he joked, giving her a smile. "Live on, Hime. Now that Madara's gone . . . there will only be good days for you. You won't have to cry anymore."

"What good are happy days when I'm left _alone_?" she asked bitterly. "Please, just let me _try_… I can save you, I _know_ I can…"

Kisame's hand was wrapped around hers again. "The Akatsuki . . . wishes you only the best . . . Sakura…" And suddenly, his eyes closed, his head fell back, and his hand went limp, falling to the ground.

And Sakura cried, her wails reaching to the heavens. For the first time since she lost Shion, she finally let out all of her tears. When she counted the days, she had lost everyone in Akatsuki and her family within two whole months.

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><p><strong><em>Finally<em>! Done with this chapter! Whoo! You know, I think I cried at the end which was the only good part about this whole chapter! I swear all the battle scenes sucked!**

**Well, school's out tomorrow so, hopefully, I can get faster updates. But don't count on that, you guys. I still have to work on _Two Beats_ and apparently my grandpa from Malaysia is coming to visit the US, so I'll most likely be busy . . . again.**

**Stay tuned, though! And you guys, check out the previews for _Road to Ninja_! They're epic!**


	6. 6th Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

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><p><strong>Whoo! I <em>finally<em> got the chapter up! _Yay_ and before Christmas! Thank God, because I was _really_ behind with this story! This fanfic is going to start to wrap up a bit, _maybe,_ after this chapter or the next. I'm not really sure yet, but I won't disappoint. (Let me just make this little note. I'm not making Obito alive in this story and being Madara, okay? This story will get really out of hand if that happened. Plus, the plot I had made was made _way_ before Obito was revealed to be Madara, okay? Sorry, Obito-is-Madara fans.)**

**Also, did you guys think that last chapter was a bit _too_ simple? I'm not really confident with the last chapter _at all_ because the battles did not seem in canon at all with the Naruto manga. Plus, because my battle scenes suck, I always end up sticking some comedy in between serious events and then it ends up sounding immature. Your thoughts on this?**

**Another note, I've been getting some new reviews on _Akatsuki no Kuruma_, and I want to ask. Is it hard to figure out that _Toki no Sabaku_ and this story are the continuation of _Akatsuki no Kuruma_?**

**Also, if you haven't heard NS Yoon-G's new song _If You Love Me_ feat. Jay Park, please do because it just touches my heart since I can, like, think of all the beautiful wedding scenes from almost every single Korean drama I've watched and match it with the song. Listen to the song when you read the touching parts of this chapter. It sorta matches if you continue to put it on a loop, but it's really just preference. (Hint, hint: if you already heard the song then you probably already know that this chapter may be a _bit_ too cutesy even for this fanfic series.) Or you guys can use the songs from Ayumi Hamasaki's new album _LOVE._ Those three new songs are totally classic Ayumi coming back!**

**P.S. dedicated to theguynextdoortoyou for his message a while ago in, like, June for telling me I haven't updated in a while.**

**Wow, this is another long author's note. Well, never mind my ranting. Let's get on with the chapter! Please don't hate me if the chapter's a bit cheesy! :P**

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><p><em>Keep the past somewhere<em>

_Not far from here_

_Let us savor this never-seen-before scenery…_

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><p>~The Sixth Hanami~<p>

She wrapped her arms around her shivering self. Sakura wasn't cold—nope, the campfire was keeping her nice and warm. It was just that she couldn't wrap her head around the recent events. Kisame . . . the last of the Akatsuki, the last of her mentors . . . was dead, and she had not stopped crying even when she had been pried away from his unmoving body. She was shivering now because of that, her eyes swollen. She brought her knees closer to her chest, trying to hide herself. She couldn't bring herself to face any of her friends and especially Lee's team. After all, she had not and could not shed a tear for their dead sensei. For that, she felt guilty. But she hated being near them now. She hated that they could freely cry for their sensei when she could not even show her own emotions. What did they lose in comparison to _her?_ How much _more_ had she lost compared to them who had only lost _just_ their sensei?

_"THEY DON'T HAVE_ THE RIGHT_ TO BE CALLED MY PARENTS!" Sakura screamed, her tears finally pouring out of her eyes. "For_ years_ . . . I've been alone at home because they_ left_ me here… For_ years_ at a time, I wouldn't see them. And when I do, it's only for_ less_ than ten_ minutes!_ Why should _I_ go see_ them_? It should be_ them_ coming to see _me_!"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"What's the meaning of calling me here?" Sakura asked. "What purpose do you have of kidnapping me?"_

_Konan gave no sign of emotion. "Itachi," she addressed the other person in the room. "Please leave."_

_"Leader-sama has instructed me to watch over you as he deals with other business," the Uchiha explained. "If anything were to happen to you—"_

_"Are you insinuating that I'd get into a violent fight with my own daughter?"_

_"SCREW YOU! DO YOU EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE CALLED MY_ MOTHER?"_ Sakura asked, pointing a kunai at the female Akatsuki member. "You're a hypocrite, you know that? Before, you told me that you didn't want anyone finding out that we're related, but now . . ." She scoffed as she stood. "You don't really care, do you? You just want another something to exercise your authority over."_

"It's . . . it's not like that."

_"_Really_? Then why did you have to think about what to say? If you really thought that then it shouldn't have been a problem to just naturally say it. It should've just come out of your mouth rather than you hesitating to say it…What exactly do you want me here for?"_

_"Your father was worried."_

_"_Worried_? Ha! Don't give me any false hope… He should've been worried when I got my first mission! He should've been worried when I took the chunin exams! He should've been worried when I went up against Sasori! Why does he choose now to worry?"_

_"Sweetheart…"_

_"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Sakura screamed, the tears in her eyes threatening to fall. "What are you trying to do? You and Papa both have left me out of your lives… Why choose now for me to come back, _huh_?"_

_"Sakura…"_

_"You're . . . you two are just going to use me, aren't you? To get to Naruto…"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"You've_ never_ been there for me. Why should I believe you now?"_

_"Because I'm your mother and you're my daughter…"_

_"That's it? That's all you could come up with?"_

_"Dear, what do you want me to say? What do you want me to do?"_

_"It doesn't matter. You're too late. Fifteen_ years_ too late."_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"What's the meaning of this? Me being taught by the _Akatsuki_? Is this some kind of a joke?"_

_"Sakura—"_

_"I can't_ believe_ you could even_ suggest_ such a thing! I'm a_ Konoha_ kunoichi, for crying out loud! It's unacceptable! How could you expect me to obey such orders?"_

_"Sakura, listen to me. Your father—"_

_Sakura scoffed, but her scoff sounded more like a dry laugh. "So Papa is_ also_ involved in this too? I should've known… Where is he? I want to speak with him!"_

_"Sakura, you know you can't speak with him…" Konan said. "He—"_

_"He's _crippled_, and he can't take the stress?" Sakura asked, scornfully. "I don't believe it. If he were_ really_ crippled then how could_ you_ be pregnant?"_

_"Sakura, please_ listen_ to me." Konan pleaded. "Like you, we've also lost our teammate. But unlike you, we have no chance of ever getting him back. He . . . he had always wanted kids… Your father is crippled, and Yahiko was my first love, so . . ."_

_"Those reasons… I can understand them for only so much, but . . . I still can't…"_

_"Sakura…"_

_"Mama, for those reasons . . . would . . . would that child mean more to you than I do?"_

_Konan's eyes widened. "Sakura . . . what do you mean by that? I—"_

_"I_ mean_ . . . if you were to choose only_ one_ to save . . . in a situation that would cause death to your children . . . who would you save? Me or that child, who would you choose?"_

_Konan took a deep breath. ". . . I'd save this child. But Sakura, I—I'd save my unborn child . . . but Sakura, if you were to die, I would go with you… Sakura, my sweet daughter… You need to look at things from my point of view… This baby is unable to protect itself. You, on the other hand, are. I need to protect the one I think will have the least chance of surviving to give me just a shred of hope. Can't you understand that…?"_

_Sakura sniffled back her tears. ". . . In my ears, it just sounds like you're saying that you love this child more than you ever loved me…"_

_"Sakura…"_

_"Fine… I'll leave then… I won't bother you ever again…"_

_"_Sakura_…!" Konan pleaded. "Don't do this! Please!"_

_"Congratulations on the child… I wish it all the best. It'll need it."_

Her hands covered her ears, clutching and pulling at her hair, trying to block out all other noises. If she could, she would rewind time so that she could take back every painful thing she had said to her mother. If she could, she would redo things. If she could, she would make it so that she had been a better daughter.

_"You and your mother are flesh and blood," Itachi said. "She's always going to be there for you, even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome. Even if you feel like you hate her now, you shouldn't waste your time fighting her… You'll regret it later on…"_

_Sakura laughed. "And_ this_ . . . this is coming from the man who_ killed_ his clan?" She couldn't believe he was the one lecturing her. She laughed once more._

_"Think what you will of it, but heed my words… Take it from someone who's gone through it. You'll grow to hate yourself if you choose to continue to bear any ill will towards your parents . . . especially your mother."_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"Sakura…" Konan threw her daughter into a hug. "I'm so sorry…"_

_"Mama…" Sakura couldn't stop her tears. She returned the gesture. How long had it been since she had been in her mother's embrace?_

_"Yes, it's my fault…" Konan said. "I've neglected to see how lonely you've been… I didn't see what I was turning you into… A child deprived of a mother's love, I know how that feels… It was wrong of me to do so… Forgive your mother, child… She's so sorry…"_

_"Mama…" Sakura cried._

_"I promise . . . I'll be a better mother to you… I'll work harder on that… I won't let you fall into darkness… I love you, you know that, right? Your father and I love you so much… You're our pride and joy… You have to know that… We love you so much…"_

The tears had a hard time trying to escape from Sakura's green eyes. The girl had cried so many times before. It was almost as if her own tears pitied her, not wanting her to cry again.

_"Hey, hey! I thought I told you that the rule for this test was to not set off_ any_ of the bombs, un! But you go and set off_ all_ of them, huh?" Deidara asked. "Some prodigy, you are…"_

_"I'll take that as a compliment, Ino #2!"_

_"_Enough already_," Kisame said, standing up. "Everyone is going to be wondering about that explosion, and I don't need Leader-sama worrying about his daughter getting her pretty little head blown off of her body, so let's head back."_

_"Aw…" Sakura pouted. "And just when I was having_ fun…_ But anyhow, how did I do?"_

_"Well, considering that you didn't use anything we taught you or anything the other members taught you, I'd consider this a job well done."_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"You guys tricked me! I thought you called me here to talk or something!"_

_"We_ are_ talking, sweetie." Pein said._

_"Yes, we are, but I'd prefer we talk about something_ other_ than me going on a mission! Not only that but, this time, why do you have to call Itachi and Kisame to_ 'protect'_ me? They're not_ protectors—_they're a_ danger_ to_ all_ of human society!"_

_"Hey, Pinkie, don't you think that's kind of _rude_?" Kisame asked. "I mean, your father and mother are_ also_ a danger to humanity. Why are_ we_ the only ones being accused?"_

_Konan ignored Kisame and walked over to her daughter, one hand on her large stomach. "Think about it, sweetie. If anything happens, you can hide behind them so that, even if someone shoots some kind of strong jutsu at them, at least_ you'll_ be alright." She patted her daughter on the head._

_Sakura pouted in defeat. "Well . . . I guess you have a point there."_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"I just don't think it's right. Brother against brother… It just isn't…"_

_Kisame chuckled. "Well, a lot of things in this world isn't right, but if everything were to_ be_ right then we wouldn't really fit in with the crowd, you know?"_

_"You already don't fit in."_

_"THAT'S NOT THE POINT! Look… Itachi has planned this out for a few_ years_ already—your ex-teammate too… Nothing you say will change anything. You'll just have to face facts. You need to know this. This is the_ real_ world—it's not your little playground, Pinkie. Good things will happen, but so will bad things. Just because you want something to happen doesn't mean it _will_. I think you already got the full gist of it before."_

_"Yeah… So . . ." Sakura said, forcing a smile onto her face and trying to forget about her recent thoughts. "What's this mission about?"_

_"Well, as you know, your mother is getting close to her due date." Itachi said._

_"Uh-_huh_… I'd say in about maybe four weeks tops…"_

_Kisame started choking then. "Four . . . four _weeks_?" he asked. "Yikes, and here I thought the little _brat_ was coming in two _months_."_

_"Eh . . . _no_… The_ baby_ is coming out in maybe_ less_ than _four weeks_, considering that this is my mother's third child."_

_"_Third_?" Kisame asked. "What happened to the second?"_

_"She miscarried a few weeks before she stuck me in Konoha."_

_"_Oh_…"_

_Sakura rested her head on her propped-up arm. "The baby was supposed to have turned ten next month. I wonder if they even remember…"_

_"So . . . anyway…" the Uchiha continued. "With your mother's due date just coming up in about a month or so, Leader-sama has instructed us to find a midwife just in case your mother goes into labor earlier than expected while you aren't around."_

_"Oh…" Sakura nodded her head once more. "I guess that makes sense…"_

_"Isaribi. The midwife's name is Isaribi."_

_"Oh, _really_?" Sakura smiled. "Yay! Now I'll have one of my friends to talk to!"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"Sakura, I want you to promise me something."_

_"Yes, Weasel-kun?"_

_"Promise me that you'll take care of Sasuke for me after I go."_

_"I will, don't worry. I'll take good care of him." Sakura nodded her head, but her tears began pouring out of her eyes the moment Itachi said those last three words._

_Itachi smiled a bit at her words, throwing her into a small embrace. "Everything is going to turn out for the best, you'll see…"_

A strangled sound came out of Sakura, but she herself didn't know if it was a quiet laugh or quiet sob. The sound just sounded frantic and hysterical as if her sanity was about to break into itty-bitty pieces.

_"Isaribi-neechan said that Konan-Fujin's water broke!"_

_"The baby's not coming out as quickly as we'd have hoped."_

_"It must be because of that miscarriage… Mama's body isn't healthy enough for the delivery…"_

_"So . . . it's that… My second child's spirit must be bitter towards me… Somehow, I knew that the miscarriage would come back to haunt me…"_

_"Everything will be alright… The baby_ will_ be fine…"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"Mama… Why are you crying?"_

_"Oh, nothing, sweetheart… I was just thinking… That's all."_

_"About . . . _what_?"_

_"It's nothing important."_

_"But—_Itai_! Shion, no, no. It's not nice to pull on someone else's hair."_

_Konan laughed at this. "It would seem like Shion has a mischievous side to her."_

_"Does she?" Sakura asked, smiling at her sister. "She's not even aware of the things going around her. It's too early to say so, isn't it?"_

_Konan sighed. "Maybe… But,"—she caressed her older daughter's cheeks—"I do hope she grows up to have your character."_

_"_My_ character?" Sakura asked in disbelief with a chuckle. "But why? I have a bad temper."_

_Konan shrugged. "It's not_ that_ bad."_

_"Oh, no, don't cry, little one…" Sakura cooed but to no avail. She turned to her mother. "I think she wants you."_

_"Here, give her to me." Konan hand out her hands, and Sakura passed her sister to her. Konan rocked the little baby, and soon Shion's cries stopped. However, she looked at her mother a bit confused. She turned her head left and right and then back again._

_"Oh, what are you looking for, Shion?" Sakura asked._

_And when Shion saw her sister, she gave a big squeal and reached her hands out for Sakura._

_"Oh, she's after my hair again!"_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"My father and mother… Where are they?"_

_"They're both dead."_

_"_How_? How did they die?"_

_"Your father went almost peacefully. He died at Uzumaki Naruto's hand, his body completely destroyed. And your mother, on my orders, was killed by Uchiha Sasuke for betraying Akatsuki."_

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

_"I don't understand! Why does Shion have to die? She's done_ nothing_ against you!"_

_"But her sister _has_," the Uchiha said. "This is_ your_ punishment."_

_"God-dad, please!" Sakura pleaded. "I'll do anything! Just_ please,_ don't kill Shion! She's all that I have left! I promise I won't betray you! I promise you won't regret it! Just please, God-dad! Shion's not even a month old yet! _Please_!"_

It just wasn't fair! It just _wasn't_! Why was fate being so unfair to her? One by one, everyone was leaving her… Even those she had trusted the most had left her with crushed hopes. _Why_…? What did she do _wrong_? Sakura had no idea. She had no idea why she was being treated this way…

"Hey, Sakura-chan…" Naruto came up to the girl who was now just standing and glaring at the campfire, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"DON'T _TOUCH_ ME!" When Sakura realized that she had just shrieked at him, she gasped at her own reaction, embarrassed and ashamed at her loud outburst.

"Sa . . . Sakura-chan…"

"I . . . I'm sorry, Naruto… I . . . I'm just a bit . . . a bit _stressed_ at the moment…" she told him, trying to come up with a good excuse. She didn't want him to know about Pein being her father. She didn't want him to know that he had killed his friend's father. She didn't want him to feel the guilt. She just couldn't let him know—plus, she wasn't ready for anyone else to know of her connections to the Akatsuki. Not yet. Not yet… "And . . . I . . . I'm really . . . _really_ tired. I—"

"It's not that, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, his eyes wide and still staring at her. Something in Naruto's mind seemed to be turning and clicking. "But _you_ . . . you . . ."

Sakura didn't understand. What was Naruto trying to say?

It was Ino, albeit as confused and as alarmed as her fellow blonde, who finished his thought. "Forehead, your eyes… You . . . you have the Rinnegan."

"Wh . . . _what_?" the cherry blossom gasped, seeing the rest of the Konoha shinobi's surprised faces. She had been careless. She had let her emotions get the better of her. In shock, her hand moved of its own accord and touched her face before she deactivated the eye jutsu. "I . . ." The first thing she saw was Naruto's hurt and pained expression. "Naruto, I can explain." She was scared. She hadn't prepared herself yet. How _was_ she to explain? She didn't want everyone to hate her for being the daughter of the one who had destroyed their home village. She didn't want that, but she wanted even more so for Naruto to stop looking at her so pitifully and so guiltily. "I . . . You . . . This is just—"

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto looked as though he was even more frightened that Sakura was. "Was . . . was Pein . . . was he . . . ?"

"Sakura-san, were you . . . were you one of the daughters that Pein and Konan had left behind?" It was Hinata who asked. Her shaking form reflected the shock of all their friends.

Sakura began trembling at the mention of her parents. She didn't dare to look at any of the Konoha shinobi now. She needed _time_… She needed time to _think_ of a good way to explain things. She had never prepared herself for this moment. She needed time. She needed _time_!

"It's . . . it's really complicated." Karin was the one who tried to defend the rosette. "Everything that has happened up until now… It's all just so complicated." She looked to the rest of Team Hebi for help, but even they could not think of anything to say.

"Naruto, _please_!" Sakura pleaded, both of her hands grabbing onto one of his. She would have knelt before him if she thought it would make him feel better. "I don't blame you!" she told him, shaking her head to emphasize the fact. "I _don't_! I don't blame _you_! Naruto, I know . . . I _know_ that everything that has happened has all been a part of Madara's plot! _Please_! I'm _begging_ you _not_ to think too much into this! You . . ."—she couldn't bring herself to say killed or murdered, so she paused to try and think of a better way to word things, but she knew her pause just made Naruto doubt her words even more—"you had a hand in my father's death, yes… But it's not _your_ fault! You were just trying to protect the village! I know! I _know!_ So _please_ . . . please don't beat yourself up about this… _Please_…"

But Naruto didn't say a word, and he didn't look at her face. Sakura called out to him once again, but he ripped his hand out of her grasp and, for a while, he just stood there, not meeting anyone's gaze.

"Na . . . Naruto…?" Sakura asked. She was worried. What if he were to go into shock? She wouldn't be able to function correctly if that were to happen. She couldn't lose him too! She thought of the others who were watching this conversation. Why weren't they all saying something? Where were Kakashi and Yamato? What was Sasuke doing just _standing_ there? Hinata? Ino? Lee? Sai? Kiba and Shino? Tenten and Neji? Shikamaru and Choji? Were they _all_ shocked into silence, too? She begged them all mentally to help her console her teammate. She didn't know what to do. She really had no idea what to do.

And what Naruto did next, no one could foresee. He dropped to his knees, his hands on the ground and his forehead touching the ground. "Gomennasai, Sakura-chan!" he apologized. From his voice and shaking body, Sakura could tell that he was crying.

"Wh . . . what are you _doing_, Naruto?" Sakura asked, backing away, unable to believe her eyes. "Get up!"

"I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan!" he apologized again, his hands pulling at the grass as they rolled into fists. "If I had known he was your father then I . . ."

"Then you _what_?" Sakura yelled. "Even if you _did_ know then what would you have done?" She glanced up at the sky for a moment, biting her bottom lip and holding back tears. "You would have no other choice even if you _had_ known! Madara made it that way, so don't feel bad!" When she was sure her tears wouldn't flow down her face, she looked back down at the blonde. "Get up," she demanded. "Even if you do this, even if you feel this way, _nothing_ will change. Get up! _Get up_! GET UP!" She was screaming by the end but, even so, Naruto still didn't stand. "Fine, _don't_ stand then! Stay on the ground FOR ALL I CARE!"

"Sakura…" Karin and Ino both were at her side after seeing the pinkette start to cry and start to tremble terribly, but the Akatsuki heiress backed away from them both.

"What do you hope to accomplish by begging like this, _huh_?" Sakura asked Naruto, her voice breaking. "What do you hope to change? Yes, you killed my father. Yes, there was a time when I hated you to the point where I couldn't even _stand_ to hear your name, but that time's _over_!" She took a few deep breaths before continuing. "Don't act like _this_… Please don't _treat_ me like _this_!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him, trying to get some sense into him. "I'm still your friend! I'm still the Sakura you know! Nothing's changed! So please, don't look into this anymore than need be! Please don't look at me like you've committed a _sin_ against me! I'm over it! I'm _over_ it, so please don't rub any more salt into my wound!"

But Naruto refused to stand, and he refused to speak, and this angered the pink-haired medic more than it should have.

"_FINE_! _Be_ like that!" Sakura screamed before pointing to Sasuke. "Do you know that Sasuke was _also_ forced to kill my mother, too?" she asked, almost feral, sneering at the pathetic form Naruto took on. "Do you see _him_ begging me for forgiveness like you are doing? Do you see him acting as _WEAK_ as you are right now? No, you don't! And do you know _why_? It's because he _knows_ I can't hold any grudge against the two of you because the two of you are my teammates, the people I grew up with and trust the most! And it's because he _knows_ I've _already_ forgiven you two when you both helped me get rid of Madara! I've forgiven you both already! Why can't you see that?" She was crying and screaming, her throat going so dry that it almost hurt. "If I don't have you two then who do I have left? Everyone who I cared about has already gone! Why are you trying to make harder for me to accept reality? Why, _why_, WHY?" She was hitting Naruto's back and shoulders by this point. And when Karin and Ino and Hinata held her back, she shoved them off of her and just glared at jinchūriki who Kakashi was trying to get off the ground. "Fine… If you want me to hate you then I _WILL_! If you want me to hate you, if you want me to get my revenge or whatever it is you're thinking so that you can feel better, then I'LL _GO_! I'll go because I _refuse_ to see you like this! I refuse to see you as _pathetic_ as you are now!"

And so the crying kunoichi left the campsite, running as far and as fast as she could. She _refused_ to deal with this drama, and she _refused_ to deal with this _bullshit_! She had had _enough_!

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Hiashi was pacing around now—well, technically, he wasn't _pacing_. He was going to whatever makeshift building now served as the Hokage Mansion to hand in his mission report. If what Botan had told him was true then the information needed to be known. He had to let the Elders know about Uchiha Madara being alive. He was still debating on whether or not he should reveal Sakura's relations with the Akatsuki, though. He _knew_ that the Elders _hated _Tsunade, and he _knew_ that the Elders would use this information to weaken the Hokage's power. He didn't know what he'd do about the information. However, when he was about to knock on the door that led into the Elders' room, he froze when he heard the contents of their conversation.

"What should we do now?" he heard the female Elder, Koharu, ask. "Danzo is _dead_ and by _Uchiha Sasuke's_ hands! There is _no doubt_ he knows the truth about his clan's massacre! He will come after _us_ next!"

"Keep your voice down, Koharu!" Homura hushed her. "And do not say things like that. Even if the boy knows that we ordered the death of his family,"—at this, Hiashi's hands rolled into fists—"there is no way he will be able to enter Konoha without getting past our shinobi. We will be gone before then."

"No, I _refuse_ to lose like this! I _refuse_ to let all the work we've done go down the drain just because of _him_!" Koharu argued. She sounded hysterical. "There must be a way… We did everything for the _good_ of the village! Killing off the Uchiha clan was _necessary_ for peace, and I _refuse_ to be ridiculed for the decision! We _will_ come up with a way to keep things quiet."

"Alright, alright," Homura sighed, trying to calm to old lady down. "I will come up with something with regards to the Uchiha boy, but now what remains is Haruno Sakura's fate. It is without a doubt that she will tell Tsunade whatever it is she has learned. We must find a way to reason with Tsunade and her apprentice before things get out of hand."

"What is there to discuss?" Koharu asked. "We'll execute Haruno Sakura and the Haruno family that has sheltered her! If it had not been for that _vile_ Kabuto's letter then we would not have known about her connections to the Akatsuki! We'll execute the three of them just as we did with the Uchiha clan, just with a public show!"

_Execute?_ Hiashi thought. _Just like that? They won't consider her status as an asset to Konoha or all of her contributions to the village's citizens? And what is this? They've conspired with _Kabuto_? And they ordered the Uchiha clan's massacre without the consent of the people?_ The Hyuga leader could not believe his ears. How could the village be ruled by these cruel people?

"Yes, but Haruno Kizashi and Haruno Mebuki are—"

"Just as guilty for harboring that despicable little _witch_!" Koharu almost yelled. "Plus, with that family gone, Tsunade's power decreases. We will have no trouble ruling this village once her apprentice is gone. Ever since Haruno Sakura has disappeared, Tsunade has been unable to function properly. She will not have the heart to do a _thing_ once Haruno Sakura is _dead_!"

Hiashi had heard enough. He left the Hokage Mansion as quickly as possible, careful not to be caught eavesdropping. He needed to prepare his clan, needed to get the word out to the other clans. He may not have known the whole story, but he knew that the other clans will share the same opinion as he did. If the Elders could get rid of the powerful Uchiha clan then who's to say that they won't go after the other clans if they also get too powerful to control? Moreover, he had to warn the Haruno family about this.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Whatever happened to the boy I _knew_?" Sakura asked herself, her voice cracking every now and then because of her sore throat. "What happened to the boy who could weather whatever came his way, _huh_? Did so much _change_ in my absence? You were supposed to get stronger, Naruto, not grow weaker… Why did you let it come to this? _Why_?" She was lying on the ground, the grass almost tickling her through the clothes she wore—she knew the furisode she was wearing would have stains on it afterwards. She stared at her reflection in the lake, drawing circles on the ground with her pointer finger. At other times, she dipped her finger in the pond to clean it off and to watch the ripples before going back to drawing circles again.

It was stupid, that conversation between her and Naruto… Exactly what did they both hope to accomplish by saying random things like that? Oh, she blamed it on their lack of sleep—it had only been a few hours ago that they finished their battle with Madara, after all. That must have been it… They both—well, rather, just _she_—had said things that weren't meant to have been said. Now, there was a bigger problem, and it was going be even more troublesome to fix.

Her tranquil thoughts were shattered when a sharp pain in her stomach ailed her. Her face, as she could tell from her reflection, contorted as the pain seemed to increase. She took in a deep breath and, before she knew it, the pain was gone as fast as it had come. She didn't know what caused her pain like that, but she hoped that the pain would not return.

"You know…" she said to the man hiding in the shadows. She hoped that her voice did not give away the pain she had suffered just a moment before. "You can come out, Sasuke-kun… I won't bite." The moment she sat up was the moment Sasuke came to stand before her. "_Hm_…" She pretended to think about something peculiar as she stared up at him. "You know, it's not _fair_… You're already a head taller than me. Why can't you just sit down to talk to me? I'll hurt my neck if I keep looking up at you like this." She laughed a bit when she saw Sasuke roll his eyes.

"I'm glad to see you're in a _better_ mood," he said. If it had been anyone else, Sakura would have thought she had hurt his feelings by being in a "_better mood_" when he had gone to all of this trouble to look for her because he had been worried. (Yes, she knew he was worried, but he'd never admit it.)

Her smile fell, and she started biting the insides of her mouth. "Well . . . _yeah_, I had a headache before, and I just lost it when Naruto…" She couldn't finish the thought, her headache seeming to come back again. She rubbed her forehead, trying to get rid of the migraine. "But I meant what I said… I don't blame either you or him for my parents' deaths, at least not anymore…" She glanced up at Sasuke's stoic face and saw that it was more _[slightly]_ distorted than usual. She never thought she'd see the day when Uchiha Sasuke would be confused. She smiled at that before holding out her hand.

He got the hint and helped her up to her feet. When Sakura stood, however, she found that her legs were asleep and, so when she stood on her sleeping legs, she tripped over her furisode and would have fallen, had Sasuke not been holding her steady.

"Of course, at first, I really felt horrible when I found out what happened," she continued as if nothing had happened during her pause in speech. "I thought that the world was against me and that I was all alone. I hated everything and everyone. There wasn't a person I could trust. I know it sounds silly, but . . . I really was saved by love." She laughed when Sasuke's face turned into an expression of distaste. "I'm _sorry_, but I don't know how to word it any other way… Love really _did_ help me, though, in three very different ways. Because of love, I was able to forgive my parents for leaving me alone for all those years, and I was able to spend time with them before their deaths. It was a short while, even with Shion,"—_especially with Shion_, she thought again in her mind as she tried to fight back the coming tears—"but . . . I enjoyed that short while, and those moments will forever be in my heart. Because of love, I was able to meet new people and see them for who they were, and they were saved too because they were able to find something to live for, and that something was _me_. Why should I waste my life hating when all of the Akatsuki, no matter how evil they seemed to others, saved me out of love? I've survived this far because of their love, not because of sheer luck. I survived when there were so many events that should have killed me but didn't. They loved me, and that's why I'm alive. If I were to live my life hating someone for the rest of my life then I'd been spitting in their faces. I don't want that, and I don't want to disappoint them. I've _survived_, survived because of _them_… I have to make my life worthwhile to repay them back…"

The Uchiha's face seemed to be back to its usual stoic self, and Sakura was sure she had answered any question that he might have had until he asked, "You said love saved you in _three_ ways. What's the third?"

Her eyes widened when he asked that. She took back her hand and backed away from him. She had hoped he would have forgotten about or at least lost count of the many different ways she had listed. Apparently, she underestimated his intelligence, but she really didn't know if she _should_ tell him the third way. She smiled sheepishly when she felt her face start to turn the same shade as her hair and, to hide that blush, she squatted back down and began playing with the water in the lake again. _What should I do?_ Should_ I tell him?_ She kept asking herself. _And if I do,_ how_ should I tell him?_ She laughed at her foolish thoughts. _Nothing's really changed at all. In the end, I'm still the same around him… Still a lovesick fangirl…_

"Sakura." His voice was not demanding, just firm and quizzical. Sakura could feel his dark eyes on her, and maybe one of his eyebrows was raised for all she knew, but she wasn't going to look up at him to check. He would without a doubt see her blush if she looked up, provided that he couldn't see her blush now…

Eventually, she toughened up and took a deep breath before speaking again. "Love saved me," she started out with, taking another deep breath every now and then to calm her nerves, "in three different ways. _One_, it gave me the strength to forgive my parents. _Two_, it gave me the chance of meeting new and unexpected friends. And _three_,"—here, she took a deep breath, hesitated and bit her bottom lip, and then took another deep breath and closed her eyes—"it gave me . . . the joy of . . . meeting you again." She turned to glance at him now and, if she had been a second slower, she wouldn't have seen that Sasuke's eyes were just a fraction wider than normal. That gave her another excuse to smile, the other being that she was still so embarrassed to be revealing this piece of information. And being so embarrassed, she turned back to stare at the lake before continuing. "When . . . when you left Konoha,"—just remembering that hurt her—"you left me in confusion. You thanked me, but I never knew the reason why… I'm still doubting whether or not I heard you correctly." She picked up a nearby pebble and began twirling it in her hand. "It was two years afterwards that we met again, and again I was left with confusion but also with a new view of you, a scarier view… I _never_ thought that, in _all_ of the times that you protected me during our time together as genin, you would charge at me like that… Like you would kill me, like I was an enemy… I never thought that you would do that, and so I was hurt… Hurt _real_ bad…" She threw the pebble across the lake, the pebble skipping on the lake's surface and causing ripples with each impact with the water's meniscus. It was on the fifth skip that the pebble sank into the water. "And then, it was just a while after that, almost a whole _year_ afterwards, that I saw you again. This time, I got another look at you and saw you in two different lights, but . . . there was no confusion. I mean, there was at first, but then . . . all of my doubts just . . . disappeared."

It was around that time that the pain in her stomach returned, almost as if sticking her with a thousand needles. She clutched the side of her waist, wishing it to go away. She hoped that her poker face would not expose the pain to the Uchiha standing next to her.

"_Why_?"

"Hm?" She couldn't ask a question out of fear that her voice would be strained from the pain. Instead, she just hummed questioningly.

"Why did your doubts disappear? I entered Akatsuki as your _enemy_. Why would your doubts about me disappear if I initially bared ill will against you?"

She didn't look at him, so she wasn't able to see the un-Uchiha-like look on his face. "Well . . . the key word there is _initially_, isn't it?" she asked him, once her stomach ache went away. "Of course, at first, I doubted you because you were my enemy, but you . . . in my darkest hour, you came to me. Even if it _was_ at Karin's request, you still came, even though you claimed to have broken all bonds with me. You helped me get over my pain and helped put me together again, no matter how broken my soul was. You protected me and supported me, and you helped me keep my sanity. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't as stupid as I was as a genin. I still doubted you for a while after that, wondering if you were just trying to win my trust and then plan on betraying me again…"

"_But_…?" It was supposed to be a question, but it came out as a statement.

Sakura sighed. Did she really _need_ to say it? When there came no other words from the Uchiha, she sighed, deciding that, even if he was Uchiha Sasuke, he was probably just as dense as Naruto was—well, at least for _now_, he was an idiot. "I . . . I _meant_ what I said," she told him a bit slowly before turning to face him but not standing yet. "The night you left… I meant what I said."

His eyes increased by maybe the tiniest of fractions, and that gave her the courage to add to her declaration.

"And . . . I _still_ mean it," she added as quickly as possible, her eyes closed for the sentence. "And even as your enemy during our time with Madara, I still did, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. Perhaps that's why I was hurt so much… Because I still loved you then, I couldn't believe that you could treat me so coldly… But now that Madara and Kabuto and all other threats are gone, there's no excuse for me to hide my feelings anymore. I _still_ . . . I still _love_ you, Sasuke-kun…" The honorific came out naturally. Oh, how long had it been since she had last called him that…? She had missed it.

If it was possible, it seemed as though Sasuke's eyes were a bit wider than before and then even wider after he heard the added honorific to his name.

But his shock didn't help the blush that crept onto Sakura's face. Again, she tried to hide it by staring at her reflection in the water. "Love saved me, and I'm grateful for that…" But her thoughts returned to a more solemn thought, the promise she had made with Sasuke. "And out of love, I'll ask you…" She was hesitant, being scared of the answer he'd give her. "Are you . . . are you still intent on destroying Konoha?" She swallowed as she waited for his answer. However, there came no answer, and Sakura started to panic—the only good thing to her panic was that her blush had gone. "I mean, even if you are," she said quickly, "Itachi told me to take care of you, and I have to repay you and him for taking care of me"—she cursed at how much she sounded like her genin self—"and, because you helped me get rid of Madara, I still have to keep up my end of the bargain, so even though I don't want to . . . I'll still help you and—"

"I have no intentions against Konoha."

"_What_?" The surprise left Sakura's eyes wide and her mouth agape as she fell back on her butt in utter shock and stared up at the Uchiha as though he had grown another head. "But . . . _you_ . . . I . . . but . . . I _thought_ . . ." She didn't blame herself for her inability to find words. Heck, _anybody_ would be shocked to see Sasuke's complete change of heart.

"I thought about it as the Summit was going on," Sasuke told her, his eyebrow urging to twitch. Was it really so surprising that he would change his mind? "Plus, you said it yourself. Why should we spend our lives living in hate? It's a waste of energy and time anyway." He looked away from the shocked kunoichi on the ground. It was his turn to have a bit of color on his face. "And if you're worried about that stupid promise then don't. I wasn't the one to finish off Madara anyway."

"But then . . ." Sakura's head dropped towards the ground as her eyes raced back and forth from this new mind-boggling information. "What about your clan's massacre? The Elders—"

"Exactly, it was _just_ the Elders and Danzo who planned it out," Sasuke interrupted the pinkette before she could say more. Even if he had a change of heart, it was still painful to remember the massacre and its background. "Plus, when the other Kage and the others in our age group heard about it, they saw it as evil as I did, and so . . . I think I'll be content with just getting the information out to other people and having the Elders live with the decision they made. And besides,"—something told Sakura that Sasuke smirking at this moment was not a good thing (for her, at the very least)—"after I tell your shisou about the how _many_ times I saved you from certain death, she'd _want_ to help me get rid of those Elders she finds annoying too."

At first, Sakura nodded her head because she was grateful that Sasuke thought like that now. At least, now, no innocent people would get hurt, but then she _really_ thought about what Sasuke had just said, and what he said irritated her so much that she stood from her seat. "_Hey_!" she yelled at him. "You didn't save me _that_ many times!"

"Yes but, still, you were a damsel in distress too _many_ times to count."

"Well, you weren't _exactly_ a knight in shining armor, you know!" she countered, thoroughly annoyed with her ex-teammate. "And what's with that _tone_ you're taking with me, _huh_? Your brother would be _rolling_ in his grave right now! How dare you treat a _lady_, and not to mention your brother's _pupil_, like this!"

"What _lady_?" It was a rare moment when Sasuke would joke around, but Sakura just chose to ignore the strangeness of it. "There's no other person here besides the trees."

"You _jerk_!" She shook her fist and went over to punch his shoulder, but she ended up tripping on her furisode and tackling Sasuke to the ground with her. She couldn't help but laugh at their situation. Yet, her eyes began to water, and she didn't know why.

Sasuke just sighed when a stray tear overflowed from Sakura's face. "Don't worry," he told her as he wiped away that tear. And he whispered in her ear, "Everything is going to turn out for the best, you'll see…"

Again, Sakura's spring green eyes were wide as they stared at him. "How did you know that those were Itachi's…?"

"You told me those words yourself, remember? (A/N: in chapter 3)" the Uchiha reminded her. "I figured out the rest from there."

The tears ended up breaking the dam Sakura tried to make by blinking her eyes, and she buried her face into Sasuke's chest. "I swear," she said through the tears, "you Uchiha men always make me cry…"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata begged again in a whisper. This may have been her tenth attempt at trying to get the blonde off the ground. "_Please_… Get up… You heard Sakura herself say it… She _forgives_ you for her father's death… Please… Don't beat yourself up about it…"

"How can I _not_, Hinata?" Naruto asked, looking up for the first time since he kowtowed to Sakura for forgiveness. His eyes were so swollen and red. "If I _hadn't_ killed her father then . . . she'd still be protected…"

"What . . . what do you mean?" Hinata was confused. What was Naruto trying to say?

"Imagine how much hatred will come Sakura's way if word gets out that _Pein_, the one who _destroyed_ Konoha, was her father…" Naruto explained, his fists shaking at the thought. "The villagers will hate her as much as they hate me for having the Kyuubi inside of me… She's too nice to suffer through that…"

Hinata felt her heart drop. _After all this time, he's still thinking of what's best for _her_…_ But even with those disheartening thoughts, she still could understand where he was coming from. Even _she_ feared that. She couldn't imagine Sakura's life if word got out about her true family. If Naruto's life during childhood was any indicator then Sakura's life after the gossip did its damage would not be easy.

"And what if word _did_ get out?" Shikamaru was the one to ask, putting his hands in his pockets. "I mean, _sure_, it'd be troublesome, but who cares about all that gossip anyway?"

"Shikamaru…" Naruto was surprised and a bit overjoyed by the genius's retort. He wasn't smart, but he knew what Shikamaru was trying to get at.

"Naruto," it was Kakashi who spoke now. "Remember how I told you that those who break the rules are scum but those who abandon their friends are even worse?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun," Lee said with almost a fire in his voice. He and his team were thankful that they had something to take their minds of off their sensei's death. "All of us here are Sakura-san's friends! Even if the world looks at her like a punch-doll or target for all their bitterness for a ruined village then we will all be there to help her get through it all! _Yosh_!"

"Plus, even the other Kage know, and they haven't detained her or treated her badly or anything like that," Neji reminded them all with his arms crossed. "And don't forget that Tsunade, our _Hokage_, is Sakura's mentor first. She won't let _anything_ bad happen to her apprentice."

"Hey, hey," Tenten reprimanded him. "Don't act so smugly about it. You weren't the only one who contributed to cheering Naruto up." (To that, Tenten got a "I'm not _trying_ to be smug!" from the Hyuga prodigy.)

"See, Dickless?" Sai asked. "Even if Ugly's heritage did get spread around the world, the traitor would still have a harsher punishment than she."

"It's nice to know that I'm still considered as a traitor even though I helped take down one of Konoha's biggest threats."

"I mean no harm when I say that." Sai only smiled back at the returning Uchiha. "Thank you for bringing back Ugly for us," he added when he saw that Sakura was also back at the campsite. "I was afraid that we would have to go on another retrieval mission right when everyone's so tired from the earlier battle."

For once, Sai's joke had everyone laughing or chuckling—everyone except Naruto who was looking at the ground again.

Sakura could only sigh at the sight. She knew his heart was in the right place, and she knew that he was only worried about her well-being, so she wasn't angered this time by his reluctance to meet her eyes. Instead, she walked towards him until she was right in front of him and took his hands. She gave him a soft smile when his head decided to lift itself up and, when he finally looked her in the eyes, she wrapped her arms around him.

"After all this time, you're still such an _idiot_," she said to him. "When are you going to realize that I can take care of myself, hm?" She ignored the scoff that came from Sasuke. "And even if I couldn't, I have so many people by my side… But if you're still concerned, give me some time, okay? I'll explain everything when I'm ready, so please don't feel guilty at all… Please, for my sake…" She felt Naruto release a held breath and was worried that he still wouldn't listen until he returned her hug.

"Alright, I'll drop it…" he told her. "But only because you said so…"

"Thank you…" The murmur was so much quieter than a whisper that Sakura doubted that anyone else besides Naruto could hear her.

"Yah, yah!" Suigetsu jumped in then and ripped the two apart from each. His actions wouldn't have been so showy if he had had a place in the previous dramatic conversations. "Enough hugging, you two, or you'll make the Hyuga girl there"—he pointed at Hinata who had been fidgeting throughout the hug—"feel bad, and this brooding Uchiha here"—then he pointed at Sasuke who just looked as emotionless as ever—"might even go on another quest of hatred!"

Everyone laughed at the commentary—Kiba even wolf-whistled and Karin and Juugo said something about Sasuke being really jealous—except the four that Suigetsu's comment was aimed at. Sakura and Hinata's faces were bright red, Naruto was trying to discredit the swordman's claim, and Sasuke seemed as though he was itching to chidori the ex-Kiri nin.

"Well then, if everyone is done laughing at our two couples—"

("We're not _couples_!" the four yelled at Yamato.)

"—then Kakashi would like to say a word about this . . . err, _eventful_ evening."

The jonin's unmasked shot daggers at his junior ANBU but nevertheless took the spotlight when he saw that everyone was waiting to hear what he had to say. "Look, tonight . . . the world is rid of three horrid people: Danzo, Kabuto, and Madara," he said as the start of his speech. "I will not say anything about Hoshigaki Kisame's death or about the end of the Akatsuki, for it seems as though there is more to the story than what meets the eye."—this, he aimed at Sakura who was appreciative he had said so—"But we did not leave the battlefield unharmed. We also lost one of our own"—he tipped his head in a slight bow to Team Gai before continuing—"but I will save that speech for later on at his funeral. Tonight, however, I want to celebrate the return of one of our shinobi and the addition of a few others."—his eye seemed to turn upwards as though he were smiling underneath his mask as he officially welcomed Team Hebi—"Naruto, Sakura, you have finally reached your goal: you've gotten your teammate back. For that, I'm proud to be the sensei of Team 7."

There was a round of applause before Naruto jumped up and punched the air in a victory cheer. "Heh, well, I _never_ go back on my word!" And just like that, Naruto was back to his cheerful self. "And _Teme_,"—his eyes had a mischievous glint to them as he addressed his rival—"I believe you _owe_ us for leaving the village and our team."

Even though he didn't show it, Sasuke was confused by what Naruto meant. Exactly _what_ was the Dead-Last planning?

"Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei!" He motioned for the two he called to huddle around him. "Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo, you guys _too_!" he called to Team Hebi, much to their surprise. It would really seem as though Naruto held no hard feelings about Sasuke choosing another team over Team 7 for hunting down his brother. "This is a _big_ project! I need you guys' help!"

"_Project_?" Sasuke _tch_ed. "What's so _big_ about something _you're_ coming up with, Dobe?"

"_Quiet_, Teme!" Naruto replied. "You're just pissed that you're not _in_ on this! Now, listen here, you all…"

Sasuke wondered when Naruto got so good at whispering. If he remembered correctly, as a genin, Naruto had been ear-deafening _loud_. Since when did he learn to be quiet? But his thoughts were interrupted when he realized only Sakura and Naruto were standing in front of him, Team Hebi behind him almost as if they were blocking his escape route, Karin taking his sword away, and Kakashi to his side with a hand on his shoulder as if holding him in place. Sasuke had a bad feeling when Naruto's smile seemed to reach from ear-to-ear.

Sakura smiled apologetically. "Gomen ne," she said to him, "But it was this or something like wearing girl's clothing."

"What the hell…?" But before he could finish the thought, Naruto screamed, "_CHARGE_!" and grabbed Sakura's hand, running right at the Uchiha, the two of them dog-piling onto the boy. (Kakashi had let go right before Sasuke had fallen so that he wouldn't have fallen to the ground, too.)

"DOBE, GET _OFF_!"

"Not a chance, Teme! This is punishment—_punishment_, I say!—for leaving us! Come on, Hinata-chan, everyone body else, too, join in! Don't let the Teme get away for leaving us for two _years_! We need to make him _suffer_!"

"You annoying girl!" the Uchiha snapped at Sakura as Kiba and Lee led the others in on the pile. "How many times are you going to tackle me today?"

But Sakura just laughed at the boy's dismay. "Sorry, sorry!"

Sasuke stopped protesting after hearing her laugh. This was probably the most heartwarming thing the girl had experienced in such a long time, and he didn't have the heart to ruin it for her. And throughout this whole thing, no one saw the arm he had wrapped around the girl's waist.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

As the gates to the village came closer into view, Sakura began to walk closer to Sasuke, fearing the worst. She didn't know if Sasuke shared her worry, but she knew Naruto and Kakashi did, just by looking at the blonde's rigid shoulders and by Kakashi not reading his Icha-Icha book. And who could blame them? After all, it had been two _years_ since Sasuke's deflection. Would he be punished by the upper-ups? And how serious would the punishment be? Not only that, but how would his return be welcomed? All of those questions and more floated through not just Team 7's minds but also everyone else's.

"Calm down."

"How _can_ I?" Sakura asked him. "You left the village. It's not something as simple as ditching the academy! And what if the Elders got whiff of you knowing the truth about the massacre? There's no telling what they'll plan to do! And—"

"Sakura," he told her evenly. "Stop being annoying."

"It'll be alright," Karin reassured the rosette. "Have faith in Heaven's will and _his_ luck."

Sakura smiled at the redhead's use of her own quote. It eased her nerves, even if just by a bit. However, when the group came to a halt, her worries returned. "What's going on?"

"Someone's coming," Shino reported as everyone got ready for a potential battle. But when the incoming shinobi came into their view, their battle stances were dropped.

"Ku . . . Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata wondered why her pregnant sensei would meet them out here less than a mile away from the gates. Even if the village was in a state of ruin, the welcoming party was usually _inside_ the village grounds.

"There's not a lot of time to explain," the woman warned them. "Hinata, your father sent me."

"Wh . . . _why_?" Hinata was as worried as Sakura now.

"Did something happen to him or Hanabi?" Neji asked.

Kurenai shook her head. "No, it's not that." She turned to Sasuke then. "Hiashi overheard the Elders speaking about the massacre," she told the last Uchiha. "He spread the word these last few days, and the clans are in an uproar. The truth about the massacre and what Itachi did has been revealed."

Sasuke was quiet. He didn't know what to say. He did not expect this at all. He had thought it would have been a much harder battle to convince others to believe his story than fighting against Danzo and Madara.

"Well, that's good," Naruto exclaimed, throwing his arms behind his head in glee. "But, _nee_, Kurenai-sensei, why are you out here so worried-looking?"

"There's more to this, isn't there?" Kakashi asked, preparing for the worst. He knew that the news Kurenai brought was not going to be good, just by looking at the woman's solemn frown.

Kurenai nodded her head. "Yes, but it's not Uchiha Sasuke's return that's the problem. Sakura, you have to get out of here! Ino's parents have already gotten your parents, Mebuki and Kizashi, into a safe house."

"Wait, _what_?" Sakura didn't understand what was going on. "What do you mean? Why would _they_ need to go into _hiding_?" She was frantic now. She had already lost her real parents. Why would she need to worry about her adopted parents now when she _hadn't_ worried about them in almost a whole _year_? "What are you—"

It was then that the group was surrounded by ANBU Root members.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sai asked them all. "Danzo is _dead_! You have no orders now!"

"You forget, Sai, that we also work for the Elders too," one answered.

At the mention of the Elders, the travelling group seemed to get into a protective circle around Sasuke and the Uchiha was ready to unsheathe his Kusanagi.

"You have to get through _us_ if you want to hurt _my student_," Kakashi threatened.

"We are not here for _him_," another ANBU explained, confusing Konoha 11, Team Hebi, and Kakashi and Yamato. "We are here for—"

"_Sakura_!" Shizune was running towards them, tears flowing down her face.

"Shi . . . _Shizune_?" Sakura was caught off guard when her co-apprentice threw her arms around her.

Shizune held onto her as if holding onto dear life. "You're _back_! You're _back_! Oh my heavens, do you have any idea how _worried_ I was? Don't you _ever_ do that again! You hear me? Oh, _you're back_!" she cried almost incoherently before looking the girl straight in the face. "Tsunade-sama… Sakura, you heard about her, right? You heard the news, right?"

"Y-yeah, she's in a coma, I heard…" Sakura was wondering what Shizune was trying to tell her. Why was Shizune crying so much? It couldn't be _just_ because of her return, could it? Had something happened to Tsunade again?

"Shizune-san, get away from her or we'll—"

"YOU BE _QUIET_!" the lady yelled at the ANBU Root member who had the _nerve_ to ruin her tearful reunion. "DO YOU HAVE _ANY_ IDEA WHO I _AM_? MAKE ANOTHER REMARK, AND I'LL _FIRE_ YOUR ASS AND PUT IT IN THE NEAREST _VOLCANO_!"

It was an understatement that Sakura and all the other Konoha shinobi there were shocked by the usually quiet woman's loud outburst.

"Shizune-san, what were saying about Tsunade before?" Tenten asked, trying to put things together. "Did something happen?"

"Oh, _oh_, yes!" Shizune's tears seemed to flow even quicker down her face. Her hands, as they held Sakura's, shook as if a seizure was attacking her. "Sakura, once word got around that you were coming home, Tsunade-sama . . . Tsunade-sama, she woke up! She's not in a coma anymore! She heard you were coming home, and she woke up! She _woke up_!"

As her own tears fell, Sakura felt as though she couldn't breathe. "Tsunade-shisou's _awake_? She's _awake_?"

She didn't wait for Shizune's affirming nod, and the two of them just ignored the ANBU's calls and just ran. They ran, leaving all the others in the dust, making their way to the village gates and through the village itself until they reached the building where Tsunade was. Sakura slammed open the door, and Sakura could feel herself again ready to burst into a sobbing mess. "_Tsunade-shisou_!" She didn't wait for Tsunade to acknowledge her before tackling her mentor into a bear hug. "Tsunade-_shisou_!"

"Oh, Sakura!" Tsunade was also crying. It had been almost year already since Sakura's disappearance. She had been worried sick, but now her apprentice was _back_! Her apprentice was back, and _nothing_ was taking Sakura away from her.

"We're together again…" Shizune said as she knelt beside the two. "Konoha's three top medics are back together again…"

Sakura vigorously nodded before wrapping one arm around the ebony-haired woman, keeping her other arm around Tsunade, bringing both women and herself into a group hug. Tonton also decided to join in on this joy and jumped into the middle of the hug, hopping up and down as if she were cheering.

"Oh, Lady Tsunade…"

The three didn't notice the gathering shinobi in the room, only paying attention to their reunion. They didn't notice Ino, Tenten, Hinata, Kurenai, and even Karin shedding a few tears at the joyous sight. They didn't notice Kakashi and Yamato smiling fondly at the three of them. They didn't notice the others looking at random objects in the room to give them some sort of privacy. But they did notice when the Elders and ANBU Root agents came into the room.

"What are _you two_ doing here?" Tsunade snarled. "I doubt you're here to just to see me…"

"As sharp as always, Tsunade-hime," Koharu said before turning to the last Uchiha. "Uchiha Sasuke, your return has caused quite the spectacle."

"It wasn't _his return_ that caused the trouble," Kurenai argued in the boy's defense.

"Ah, yes, but of course…" Koharu replied calmly, ignoring the implication.

"If you're here to accuse him then _get out_!" Shizune demanded. "Have you no _shame_? Tsunade-sama has just woken from her coma! How _dare_ you try to stress her out when she hasn't even recovered yet! And even if you're here for Sasuke, you can't touch him! The boy's under the protection of the clans and the Hokage!"

"Oh, but we're not here for the boy," Homura explained, the ANBU root members stepping forward and grabbing Sakura by her arms and ripping her away from Tsunade and Shizune, much to everyone's alarm and protest. "Haruno Sakura, you and Haruno Kizashi and Haruno Mebuki are all under arrest for conspiring with the Akatsuki against Konoha! The evidence is compelling, and the sentence is _death_."

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><p><strong>And <em>done<em>! This was really a long chapter. Almost 12,00 words (including author notes, of course).**

**I hope Sakura doesn't die in this fanfic… Wait, what am I saying? _I'm_ making the story! I can totally see to it that my favorite character survives. Or maybe she'll die… Hm, who knows?**

**One big note: Sakura's stomach pain is going to be a big thing in future chapters, but SHE IS _NOT_ PREGNANT!**

**Also, you guys, since these coming chapters are like coming towards the closing of the fanfic series, there will probably be some more flashbacks. If you don't like flashbacks, I apologize in advance. Also, with the _Road to Ninja_ movie, Sakura's _real_ parents have been revealed to be Haruno Kizashi and Mebuki, for those who don't know. Even though this fanfic series was made and created _way_ before this new bit of information, I wanted to add her parents into this story too to sort of keep this in canon. Plus, if I made you cry before with this series, I'll make you guys cry again, just warning you.**

**Please keep supporting my fanfics! Oh, and please read my new fanfic, _Road to Sakura_!**


	7. 7th Hanami

-Her parents are dead, her sister's gone, and yet, in all of this, he's her only light—and she his. This will be her last heartbreak. 2ND SEQUEL TO AKATSUKI NO KURUMA AND SEQUEL TO TOKI NO SABAKU

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><p><strong>Whoo-hoo! I got this chapter up a bit earlier than expected! I believe thank-yous are in order. Just kidding! :P<strong>

**Anyway, NEJI'S _DEAD_! Oh my god, I cried! How could he _die_? How could _Neji_ die? Oh, my god! A moment of silence for him please, even though it's long overdue… But on a happier note, Sasuke's returned to his senses! I'm so proud of him, but it has yet to be seen if he'll return to Konoha and Team 7, but hell yeah, he'd better or Kishimoto's gonna have a rabid angry SasuSaku fan knocking right outside of his door! And now . . . we wait… Also, does anyone have any ideas as to why Kakashi killed Rin? I'm very curious!**

**P.S. I have Sakura sign something in this chapter, and I would like to point out that most Asian countries don't sign their names. They have specialized stamps to do that for them. (Warning: This chapter may suck like crap for some of you)**

**P.S. 2. I kinda made Haruno Mebuki Konan's cousin, just saying...**

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><p><em>The endless pain of my heart,<em>

_I'm getting over it_

_And I want to be closer to you_

_Going round and round this place_

_Somehow the blue sky seems within reach…_

~The Seventh Hanami~

There was barely any light in this hell—heck, even the Akatsuki base had had more light than this dungeon, and the base had been _deep_ underground! The only visible light sources down here were the torches that lined the steel walls. Sakura almost laughed at the irony of it all. If she had all of her chakra then she could have just easily smashed through these walls to freedom. But as it was, she was stuck with a chakra-draining bracelet in a dark and murky prison cell. . . . Well, actually, she wasn't in a dark and murky prison cell at the moment. No, right now, she was in a dark and murky interrogation room (but she was sure she was going to be sent back to her dark and murky prison cell any moment now). She was awoken from her thoughts when a folder was slammed onto the table.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the interrogator asked. For once, worry colored the man's scarred face. "There are other ways to protect them, you know."

Sakura could only smile at his concern. "Thank you, Ibiki-san," she thanked him because, without him, being imprisoned would really have sucked. "But this is the quickest way and the easiest." She opened the folder and took the papers in her hands. "I _refuse_ to be the one to drag them all down with me… I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that were to happen."

"But do you realize the magnitude of what you're doing? Have you even imagined what their reactions would be like once they see these papers?"

Sakura's smile fell that second, but the façade was up again the next. "Well then, it's a good thing I'm in this prison where they can't reach me, huh?" she joked, the fake smile hurting her cheeks so much that she was beginning to cry. She was sure it wasn't just because of her mask that she was crying, but she just wanted to pretend she didn't care anymore. And if that had really been the real case then this probably wouldn't hurt as much. "I love them all so much… I can't bear to see them fall too…" She was forced to pause when her stomach pain returned as if it were a rekindling fire. "If I am to die then . . . let me die alone." And with that said, she signed her name away on the paper, afterwards sealing the deal with her stamp.

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Haruno Kizashi just didn't know what to do. His daughter—yes, Sakura was _his_ daughter, no matter what anyone told him—his little girl was stuck in prison, probably frightened out of her mind. (Oh, his poor little girl! Why wouldn't they let him see her? Why wouldn't they let him see if she was alright? If she needed better food? If she needed a blanket? Or if she just needed Daddy's hug?) And the situation wasn't better for his wife to handle, either. Haruno Mebuki was a _mess_! Nothing Ino's mother (whose name has escaped him again for the hundredth time) did could calm the Haruno matriarch.

"Now, Dear…" This must have been the twentieth time today that Kizashi has tried to reason with the sobbing woman.

"DON'T YOU _'DEAR'_ ME!" Even while wailing, Haruno Mebuki still could terrify everyone in the room. "My baby girl's in jail, probably scared out of her mind, and I'm _HERE_! Warm and safe and eating food when she probably doesn't even have her own _bathroom_ to use! Don't you dare try to _'calm me down'_ when my baby's on _death roll_! I'd strangle those elders if my baby really dies…! Oh, my Sakura… My baby…" It was probably lucky for everyone in that room that Mebuki's cries began to choke her words until she couldn't speak anymore.

"Yes, I know, Mebu-chan…" Kizashi tried once again. "But you have to be strong… Strong for Sakura's sake. Please… Our Sakura-hime will be safe. Just you wait and see. She'll—"

"DON'T ACT ALL BUDDHA-LIKE! IF YOU WANT TO BE A MONK, GO LIVE IN A MONASTERY!" Mebuki was screaming again. Had Ino's mother not been holding her back, the Haruno woman may have clawed out her husband's eyes. "Our _baby_, Kizashi! Our baby's _in danger_ right in her own _home village_! How do you expect me to react _calmly_ to that, huh?" She fell to her knees, her hands covering her tear-ridden face. "She may have been adopted, but I love her like I would have loved my miscarried baby, had she been born! It's not because Konan had saved my life or that I owe her because she was my cousin or that Sakura filled the hole my miscarried baby left… I love her because she is _my_ child! If she dies then I'll die _with_ her!" She lifted her head from her hands to glare at her husband. "If you love her like I do then you'd get off your lazy ass and _do_ something! Are you _not_ her father? Do _something,_ ANYTHING!"

Kizashi may not have shown it on his face, but he was genuinely hurt by her implication. "How can you say that I don't love Sakura like my own?" he asked his wife. "All those years of watching her grow up, all those years of comforting her when she was hurt by the world, how can you say that I _didn't_ do those things out of love? If I wasn't confined to this safe house then I'd be using even my last resorts to save her…"

Mebuki must have regretted those painful words because she couldn't stand to look at her husband after that, her head faced towards the floor, tears freely dropping from her eyes—the very eyes that Sakura shared with her, despite her bloodline being much different from her adopted mother's. "What if we really have to say goodbye to her, Kizashi…? What will I . . . _How_ will I live on afterwards…? I really can't bear the thought of living without her…" The thought just pained her even more. Sakura was the perfect daughter. Sure, there were times when they would fight, but Sakura never was a troublesome child. When it mattered, Sakura always listened to her. There wasn't anything more Mebuki could have asked for.

Kizashi didn't know what to say. He could only kneel beside his wife, placing comforting hands on her shaking form and asking Inoichi's wife to get Mebuki a cup of water.

Ino, even just as a spectator, also cried with Mebuki. She may not know exactly how her friend's mother felt, but she knew Mebuki must be going through torture. And Ino couldn't bear watching it any longer, following her mother out of the room. She gently closed the door behind her, not wanting to draw any attention to herself.

"Oh, Ibiki-san!"

Ino was shocked out of her sadden stupor when her mom's surprised greeting rang through the air. "What are you doing here, sir?" she asked him, worry tracing itself onto her face once she remembered that he was one of the prison wardens. "Did something happen to Sakura?"

Ibiki didn't say anything, just handing Ino a folder of papers.

"What is all of this…?" her mother asked as she too looked through the papers with her daughter, only to gasp at their content. "This is…!"

"Oh, that _stupid_ girl!" Ino could not believe this turn of events. "Kizashi-jii! Mebuki-oba! You need to see this!"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Otousan, you must help Sakura-san!" Hinata pleaded with her father. For once, she felt angry with her only parent. Not even when her father had disowned her had she felt this fury. The Hyuga heiress knew her father was a calm and collected man capable of planning out intricate plots in where no one would have to be sacrificed. So _why_? Why did her father take such a dangerous route this time? Why couldn't he have come up with a more foolproof plan to take down the Elders? Why did he have to make such a ruckus when he could have covertly carried out an impeachment case? "You cannot let her die!"

But Hiashi did not say a word. Instead, he kept his steady gaze as a leader of a clan would.

"_Otousan_!" Even Hanabi had argued with Hinata this time.

"Please hear your father out first, Lady Hinata, Lady Hanabi." It was Neji who spoke for his uncle. "You know that your father has come up with plans that have rivaled even those of the Nara clan's. Hear him out first."

"Neji-niisan!" Hinata yelled in surprise. Why wouldn't Neji side with her on this? Why did he have to share her father's view of things and believe it to always be correct? "Do you know what will happen if my father's plan does _not_ go accordingly? In fact, it hasn't _gone_ accordingly at all! If it continues on like this then Sakura-san will end up becoming a sacrificial pawn! I do not wish to see that happen!"

"And it will not, Hinata." For the first time since Hinata had asked for his audience, Hiashi spoke. "And I will have you know that my plan _is_ going accordingly, for you see"—at that time, one of the maids brought in the two guests Hiashi had housed since this whole problem began—"there are a few old Konoha laws that the Elders have overlooked. My daughter, you must put your trust in your father." At the end of this sentence, Hyuga Hiashi smirked. "Like those dirty Elders, your father also has a few tricks up his sleeve. Haruno Sakura will _not_ become a sacrifice. Those Elders don't even deserve _that_."

Hinata did not carry on her argument. She knew her father and, when her father spoke in third person, something was going to go down. And so, she placed her attention on the two who've entered the room. "And these two are…?"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Upon awakening from her coma, there were two things Tsunade paid heed to. One was her apprentice's return. Oh, how joyous that reunion was… That is, until those dastardly Elders ripped Sakura right out of her hands. Tsunade didn't even have the time to ask Sakura how she was. (Oh, she was going to make sure those Elders will regret that.) And two . . . well, let's say that Tsunade wasn't exactly proud of this second thing she immediately noticed because . . . well, let's just say it made her eat at least three tables of food by now. And she was _still_ hungry!

"La . . . Lady Tsunade…" The speed the Hokage was eating at almost frightened Shizune. "Should . . . should you be indulging yourself so much? I mean, your body still needs to recover and—"

"And _nothing_, Shizune!" The Senju princess's voice carried like thunder. "You should know that, once a comatose person wakes up, the first thing that must be done is to nourish them back to their original strength and health!" And after that, the Fifth Hokage gulped down her fifteenth bowl of rice. "Next bowl!"

"You can't _still_ be hungry, Lady Tsunade!"

"I am and I will continue to eat until I'm full! Now give me another bowl before I find another food source…" Her voice darkly trailed off when her eyes landed on her pet pig.

Shizune followed her master's line of sight and, when she saw that Tsunade was looking right at Tonton, Shizune took the pig in her hands and curved her body so that Tonton was out of sight. "YOU CAN'T EAT _TONTON_!"

"Hey, Tsunade-baachan! Shouldn't you be thinking of ways to help Sakura instead of just lying around and _eating_?"

Tsunade swore a vein in her forehead was popping. "Naruto, even if you yell louder, nothing will be accomplished."

"The Hell!" Naruto was infuriated now. "You act as though you don't _care_ what happens to Sakura-chan!"

"Hn, Dobe, calm down." Sasuke was getting a headache. It would seem as though Naruto would never learn. The Uchiha will admit that he agreed with Naruto that Tsunade was a bit too calm, but there was something that the Uchiha knew that Naruto didn't. And that was the fact that Tsunade was hysteric the other day and had only calmed down after a secret meeting with Hyuga Hiashi and the other clan leaders, himself included since he was the last remaining Uchiha.

"Yes, listen to duck-ass-hairdo, Dickless," Sai said, again experimenting with another nickname for the Uchiha. "After all, Tsunade _is_ the Hokage. Don't be so disrespectful and calm down."

"_Calm down_?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "Who _cares_ if she's the Hokage? She shouldn't be _this_ calm when her _own apprentice_ is in danger! She can't protect Sakura-chan while she's just _eating_! We went through Hell and Uchiha Madara to get Sakura-chan back home! I'm not going to let our efforts go to waste by just letting the Elders execute her! Tsunade-baachan can be the Fire Lord, for all I care! All I know is she's doing a pretty _lousy_ job of protecting her apprentice!"

"Naruto…" Kakashi warned the blonde. He knew Tsunade's temper was _horrible_—hell, everyone knew that—but that temper may be amplified since she had just improved from a coma.

But Tsunade didn't get mad at Naruto. Nope, she did the opposite and laughed—actually, it was more of a chuckle than laughter. "You know, Naruto, I recall you saying the same _exact_ thing when Sakura was first kidnapped," she mused, smiling at the memory. She had been awfully pissed off that day but, looking back at it, that day had been . . . eventful, to say the least. "Of course, the situation may be a bit different, but . . . do you remember what I told you?"

_**"Naruto, you can't speak to her like that." Ino said. "She's the Hokage."**_

_**"Well, she's doing a pretty lousy job then!" Naruto yelled. "Her own **_**apprentice**_**! She couldn't even protect Sakura-chan! I can't sit here and do **__**nothing**__**! Sakura's probably being tortured or something! I—"**_

_**"DON'T ACT LIKE YOU'RE THE **_**ONLY ONE **_**WHO FEARS FOR **_**MY APPRENTICE'S**_**SAFETY!" Tsunade had looked feral. "Shizune!"**_

_**"Hai!" the black-haired woman stepped forward.**_

_**"Your squad will go as the primary search team. Two whole ANBU squads will accompany your team as you search for Haruno Sakura, but your squad is not to engage in battle." Tsunade explained. "Leave the fighting to the ANBU."**_

_**"Hai!" Shizune bowed. "We'll leave right away!"**_

_**"Naruto, you are to stay in the village with the rest of Konoha 11. Is that understood?"**_

"Yeah, you told me to remain in Konoha." Of course, Naruto remembered that. The conversation had taken place right after he had found out Sakura had been kidnapped. It was hard for him to forget something he was so fervent about.

Tsunade almost wanted to shake her head. Was Naruto trying to make her look like the bad guy? "Yes," she told him. "But do you know _why_ I ordered you to stay in the village? It was because I didn't want to put _you_ in danger too. But don't forget, I also said that you shouldn't act as though you're the only one who cares about my apprentice. And this situation is the same." She stood from her seat then and walked over to the self-proclaimed-future-Hokage. "This situation is very dangerous, and I can't _just_ be thinking about Sakura. I have you and everyone else to think about. However,"—she placed her hand on his shoulder—"what I said was and still is true. There are more people than just you who care about Sakura, more so now than before." And she gestured for him to look around the room.

And Naruto did. He glanced around and wasn't disappointed with what he saw. There was a representative from every team that consisted of Konoha 11 in the room: Shikamaru from Team 10, Shino from Team 8, Lee from Team Gai, and even Team Kakashi. To add to this makeshift group (and to fill in the empty spots for those who were busy with their clans and Yamato who was watching the every step of the Elders), Sasuke was back and with them, along with the three from Team Hebi. Naruto wasn't alone in this dilemma. He had others to back him up and to support Sakura too…

"You see, Naruto?" Tsunade's voice was gentler now, less aggressive and more reassuring. "You aren't alone. And neither is Sakura."

And Naruto couldn't be happier to agree.

But the blissful revelation came to an end when the door slammed open.

"Lady Tsunade…" It was Hinata, out of breath like she had been sprinting her way to the rebuilt Hokage mansion. "I want . . . No, I _need_ permission to visit Sakura-san… Please, it's important…"

At the urgency of Hinata's tone, everyone began to panic in their own little way. "What's wrong, Hinata-chan?" Naruto was the one to voice the question. "Did something happen?"

"It's—"

"Lady Tsunade, we have a problem!" Ino came running in right at that moment, interrupting the dark-haired heiress. "Take a look at these!" And she handed the paper-filled folder to the Godaime.

Tsunade wasted no time in reading them. This was just paperwork that she could just leave to the next day. No, these were important. "Well . . . this is . . . _something_…" Tsunade was in a lack for better words. She handed the papers to Shikamaru, knowing he could make better sense out of them than she could ever.

"What does it say?" Lee asked, wondering why Tsunade's face had begun to be marred with wrinkles of confusion and why Shikamaru was sighing his favorite word.

"Well…" Shikamaru took a slight pause in order to figure out a nice way to explain the situation. He could find no other way than to bluntly state it. "According to these papers, we have no relations whatsoever with Haruno Sakura."

"_What_?" If everyone in the room had been panicking before, they were freaking out now. "What do you mean by _no relations_?"

"Sakura's signed these papers to officially say that we had no idea she was part of the criminal group Akatsuki and that we only went out on our mission to retrieve her as part of our duty and loyalty to Konoha," Shikamaru explained.

"And she's also signed off on a paper that stated, and I quote, 'Haruno Kizashi and Haruno Mebuki were not in control of their actions. The two did not realize they were harboring a daughter of criminals.'" Ino added.

"What _the hell_ is this?" Suigetsu was exasperated. Exactly when was this loopy predicament going to end? "Can Pinky even _do_ that? Is that even an official document?"

"These sort of papers were created during the reign of the First Hokage," Shino was the one to clarify the papers' authenticity. "The Shodai was eccentric, and one of the many things he legalized was paper contracts in which people could say something and show that they officially meant it. Of course, once the Second came to power, no one really followed this law."

"So, in other words," Sasuke said as he snatched the papers out of the genius's hands, "Sakura is just being annoying." And he ripped the papers in two, afterwards setting them ablaze.

"We need to talk to her," Ino suggested. "She thinks she's protecting us by signing away our relations, but we need to show her that we don't care about any danger that'll come to us so long as she's off of death roll. Her execution's tomorrow. We need to show her we're willing to do _anything_ to save her! Now who's with me?" To say that the response was energetic would be over-exaggeration, for Naruto was the only one who raised his hand.

Shikamaru sighed. "Of course, let's set out to do something troublesome again. Why not?"

"Is that sarcasm?" Sai asked him, perplexity setting into his chalky white skin.

"_Yosh_! Let us show Sakura-san our youthfulness and our resolve to save her!" Lee almost jumped for joy at the thought of seeing the pinkette.

"Eh, Karin will be our representative," Suigetsu volunteered the female Uzumaki. "_Someone_ has to be watching Juugo, in case he goes curse-mark berserk."

". . . I will probably be ignored," Shino simply shrugged. "Hinata will go in Team 8's stead."

"Oh, speaking of Hinata," Naruto just suddenly remembered, "Were you going to say something before Ino came into the room, Hinata-chan?"

"Oh that . . . um, actually, Naruto-kun . . . it can wait…" In the list of priorities, Hinata knew that whatever she had had to say wasn't really that important. The news she carried was not even relevant unless Sakura herself was in the room.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ino asked, in her flamboyant rallying voice, pumping her fist into the air in an overdramatic manner. "Let's get to that prison and pound some sense into Sakura's large forehead!"

It was after that band of merry fools left, Naruto dragging Kakashi along, that Juugo spoke up. "Sasuke, shouldn't _you_ go too?" he asked the Uchiha. "It would do Sakura-san some good to see you. It _has_ been two days since you two last saw each other."

"Ha! Do _Pinky_ some good?" Suigetsu laughed, almost tipping over. "It would do _this_ prick even _more_ good! Do you have _any idea_ how much sulking he's done in these last two days?"

"Shouldn't you two be helping with reconstruction?" It was Tsunade who came to Sasuke's rescue (and possibly Suigetsu's too since he was now under the Uchiha's intense glare).

"Shino, escort them, would you?" Shizune was the one to assign the bug-lover to the task, though he accepted without reluctance.

But once the Uchiha was alone with the Hokage and her assistant, Sasuke realized that his "rescue" would cost him. "Is there a reason that you wanted to speak with me alone?" he asked.

Tsunade did not answer right away, instead taking her time to sit back in her chair. "Shizune, go make sure no one is eavesdropping. We wouldn't want the Elders to overhear." And with a nod, Shizune carried Tonton out of the room. "Uchiha," the Lady Hokage said, placing her elbows on her desk and folding her hands, "I have something I need to speak to you about. The clan leaders and I already have a few plans to stop Sakura's execution, all of which you are aware of. However, as Sakura's mentor, I still need to take more precautions. Are you familiar with the three familial laws the First had created?"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

Sakura should have known prison wouldn't have kept her in peace and quiet until death do her apart. She should have _known_ that her friends—well, actually, strangers, according to the papers she had signed earlier—would have found a way to forcefully get pass the guards and insist on a meeting. "What is it are you guys here for?" she asked them. She knew fully well why they were all here, but it couldn't hurt her to ask.

"Forehead! Why the hell did you sign those crazy papers?"

Okay, apparently, it _would_ hurt to ask—in fact, Sakura swore her eardrums practically broke once Ino made her disapproval known. "It's nice to see you too, Pig," Sakura bit out, sticking a pinky into her ear and cleaning it out. "It's as it says in black and white," the girl said, crossing her hands over her chest. "I have no more relations with any of you. I was just using you all to benefit myself."

"That's bullshit, and you and everyone else in the village knows it too!" Karin exclaimed, beating Naruto to the punch-line. Why was Sakura giving up _now_ when her opponents were just the Elders? Madara and Kabuto had been worse, so why was Sakura's resolve all put out? Karin didn't know if Sakura was just tired or if she had finally decided to surrender to the game of life.

"And those papers do not count anymore, my youthful cherry blossom," Lee pointed out as if his words would bring happiness to Sakura. "Why, Sasuke-kun has delightfully lit those papers alight in a fantastic show of fire jutsu!"

"He _what_?" Naturally, Sakura wasn't all that surprised. She sort of expected that kind of reaction, but she _was_ pissed that all that reading and signing she did was wasted. Plus, did Lee _have_ to sound so happy about that?

"I burned them." The Uchiha appeared then, flash-stepping to right behind the kunoichi. (And Sakura wondered why she was so surprised at his entrance. He usually never used a door, so why would he start now?) "I almost regret not using my Amaterasu on such dim-witted things."

"You _jerk_!" The accusation barely contained an eighth of the anger it was supposed to carry.

"We're in this together, Sakura-chan!" Naruto told her, grabbing her hands and forcing her to look him in the eyes, daring her to say otherwise. "Why would you—"

"Do you think _this_ is what I want?" It was only just a whisper, but everyone in the room could still hear it. "Do you think that I _want_ you all to be in danger again because of me?" Sakura could feel the tears prickling at the rims of her eyelids. "Do you really think that I'd be happy if I knew you all would die because of me?" she screamed, ripping her hands out of Naruto's.

"Sakura-chan…"

"In the last two months, do you _know_ what I saw? Do you _know_ what happened to me? I lost people that I cared about! I lost people that I loved! I even lost my baby sister! Do you think I can take any more losses? Naruto, you promised not only me but the _whole world_ that you'd become Hokage! If you were to die, how would you keep your promise?" Her voice had lowered in volume and intensity before she turned to Sasuke. "You're the only one left of your clan!" she told the Uchiha. "The duty of redeeming your clan's name is yours! Not only that, but you have to rebuild it! How would you face your family if you were to die before that? Plus, you know how I feel about you. I can't risk your safety." Her genin sensei was next on her list to lecture. "Kakashi-sensei, you need to stay alive for _their_ sakes! If you were gone, who'd be left to guide these two _imbeciles_?"—Naruto and Sasuke were about to argue that point, but she continued before they had the chance—"Plus, you owe it to your old teammates to stay alive!" It was Karin's turn next. "You yourself promised me that I wouldn't have to see another one of my allies die… You can't break that promise now… Don't you _dare_ start now." She faced her childhood friend. "You and your team gave your _word_ to Asuma-sensei that you'd take care of each other! How is dying for _one girl_ taking care of each other? And Ino, you promised me that you wouldn't lose to me at _anything_! If you can't fulfill that promise then I'll _never_ forgive you!" And she continued with her speech, turning to everyone person in the group. "Hinata, you're the Hyuga clan's heir! Plus, you need to be there so that I _know_ someone's watching over the ramen-loving idiot! Lee, you promised Gai-sensei that you wouldn't see him yet until you've outlived your youthfulness! You all have things left to do! How am I supposed to live with myself with I came between you and your goals?"

"And what about you, Ugly?" Sai asked. "Don't you have things left to do? Wasn't it yours and Naruto's goal to reunite Team 7? If you were gone then where would that leave your teammates?"

The thought had Sakura lost in silence. She hadn't thought of that. She had been so preoccupied with everyone else's safety that she had completely forgotten about herself, but still… In the scope of everything, it didn't matter. "I may have regrets," she said, "but they won't be lifted if you _all_ were to die with me! I refuse to carry that burden as well… I already lost my mom, my dad, and my baby sister! Must you all make me suffer any more losses? I can't take anymore, I just _can't_! I—_Ah_!" She fell to the ground, holding her stomach which pained her so. What was going on with her stomach? Was she ill or was it because of all the stress?

"Sakura!" Ino and Karin ran to her side.

"Promise me!" Sakura pleaded, trying to ignore her pain. "Don't you all dare die with me! And don't come watch my execution… I won't be able to go peacefully if I know you all are suffering… And promise me . . . you'll do whatever it takes to prevent my adopted parents from coming to the execution grounds."

"What do you think you're saying?" The yell had everyone turning their heads to the entrance of the interrogation room. There stood Haruno Mebuki, her husband behind her, her eyes swollen yet still on the verge of tears. "Sakura, I'm your _mother_!" The Haruno matriarch cried, coming to stand in front of the girl and taking her shoulders. She shook her adopted daughter, a desperate attempt to try and shake sense into her. "It doesn't matter what has happened! I won't let you die! If you really are grateful to your father and me then you won't die! You _won't_!"

"Okaasan…" Sakura couldn't bear watching the tears fall from the woman's green eyes. It may be one of her biggest regrets, not being able to fulfill her familial piety to the two people who had raised her in her birth parents' stead.

But it was then that Ibiki came into the room with three ANBU Root agents. And from the look on his face and the note in his voice, he was hesitant to break up this poignant scene. "Haruno Sakura, visiting hours are over." One of the root members took Sakura by the arm. "It is time for you to return to your cell."

"Fine," she retorted, angrily shoving off the root ANBU's hand. "I'll go…" But the root ANBU seemed not to believe her. "I'll go!" she repeated with more ferocity.

"Where will you go?" Mebuki was hysteric at this point, cupping her daughter's cheeks with her hands. "Where will you go?" she asked again, blatantly ignoring her husband's pleas to calm down. "You can't go, Sakura! You _can't_!"

"Okaasan…" Sakura was crying now too. She could feel how frantic Mebuki was just by the amount of pressure the woman had applied to her cheeks.

"Don't go, Sakura…" Somewhere in the back of her mind, no matter how much Mebuki tried to deny it, she must have known this may be the last time she would see her daughter before her death. Her hands now roamed her daughter's face, stroking her cheeks as if trying to apologize for holding them so hard. "I've invested so much into you… You may be adopted, but I still love you like my own! You can't go! You _can't_! You can't go… Don't make me suffer the loss of another one of my children! Don't go…! Don't go!"

"Okaasan—" Sakura didn't have the chance to say what she wanted to, the ANBU root agents taking her by the arms and ripping her away from her mother and spiriting her out of the room. "Okaasan!"

"Sakura! Sakura!" Mebuki tried to pry the ANBU away from her daughter but to no avail. Instead, the ANBU pushed her back, and she fell to the floor crying. "Oh, my baby… My daughter… My baby girl…" Kizashi could do nothing but try to reassure her that her worries would not be realized.

"What will we do now?" Naruto asked of no one in general. "It's like Sakura-chan has given up…"

"Of course, it would seem that way…" Shikamaru sighed, muttering "troublesome" under his breath and stuffing his hands into his pockets. "She's lost almost everything in the span of two months… Almost everything she's cared about has disappeared in a blink of an eye. She's only acting like this because she believes that, in this way, we won't be involved and the Elders won't put us in any danger."

"She's lost her will to go on…" Karin added, the thought saddening her even more so than when it was just in her head. "She had already lost it when her younger sister died. She only continued living as a shell in order to get back at Madara. It was a struggle for her to live her life every single day. Now that an opportunity has presented itself, she's decided to take the easy way out…"

"Lost her will, huh?" It was Hinata who pondered on this, her hand under her chin as if a storm was brewing in her mind.

"What is it, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked, Ino seconding his question by saying, "Yeah, it looks as though you're cooking up a plan!"

"Well, originally, it . . . it goes along with my father's plan…" She admitted, shying away from the attention she was getting. "My father's original plan had holes in it, and he wasn't exactly sure about it, though he acts as confident as always and he's going through with it regardless… But I believe I might just have the idea that'll restore Sakura-san back to her usual self!"

"What is it, Hinata-chan?" Naruto just couldn't wait to hear the details.

However, details seemed as though they would have to wait. "Sakura-san said she had a younger sister," Hinata highlighted the fact once again.

"Yes, she did," Kakashi replied, puzzlement and discernment battling it out on the showing facial expression of his sole eye. "But I don't see where you're going with this, Hinata-chan, unless you know something the rest of us don't."

Hinata didn't say anything to counter Kakashi's words, continuing with her train of thought. "Sasuke-kun, Karin-san, you two . . . you two were around when Sakura's sister died, am I correct?"

"Yes, we were around." Sasuke was the one to answer since Karin looked as though the mere memory of that night would have her crying in less than a second. "Why?"

"Did . . . I mean, _how_ did Sakura's sister die?"

Karin sighed, not wanting to recall the memory, but she gave an answer, albeit a simple one. "Shion wasn't dead yet when Sakura sent her off, but I doubt she'd still be alive." She added the last bit in order to contradict a possible plan of searching for the infant.

"But Sakura sent the baby off with a small boy on a little wooden boat, right?"

"Yes…" The answer came out slowly, almost cautiously. Sasuke almost had an eyebrow raised at how much the Hyuga heiress knew about the funeral. "How did you know?"

"Because Shion and Botan didn't die! And we need to let Sakura see them before her execution tomorrow or else whatever we plan to do to save her may be foiled!"

* * *

><p><strong>Baachan = Grandmother; old lady<br>****Oba = Aunt  
><strong>**Oji = Uncle  
><strong>**Okaasan = Mother  
><strong>**Otousan = Father  
><strong>**Shodai = First [Hokage]**

**So yeah… That's the end of this crappy sappy chapter… Sorry if this story isn't living up to any of you guys' expectations, but this has been planned out since the beginning of Akatsuki no Kuruma. Now, there's only one more chapter and an epilogue left. ****Also, I may have said this before, but I'll say this again. Sakura is having stomach pains for a reason, and it's _not_ because she's pregnant. So yeah . . . please wait patiently for the next chapter!**


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